Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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219. To ask the Minister for Health if the requirement for a second MRI scanner at University Hospital Galway, UHG, has been brought to the attention of his Department; if a request for resources in this respect has been received from UHG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7559/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The requirement for a second MRI scanner at University Hospital Galway has been brought to the attention of my Department.

The Saolta University Health Care Group advises that UHG is undertaking an internal review of waiting list/outpatients management with a view to identifying improvements around process flow.

Saolta advises that a business case for a second MRI scanner has been submitted to HSE Estates and Acute Hospitals Divisions. It also advises that, from 29 November 2016 to 24 January 2017, the hospital has outsourced 5 MRI high priority scans to the private sector to free up capacity for inpatient requirements.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.