Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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484. To ask the Minister for Health when a response will issue to an interim reply (details supplied) regarding urology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11284/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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With regard to the specific complaint raised by the Deputy, the Quality and Safety Department at University Hospital Galway are responding to the patient concerned directly. A detailed response to the Deputy will be issued as soon as possible.

With regard to urology services at Letterkenny University Hopsital, the Saolta University Healthcare Group advises that the Urology Specialty Lead at University Hospital Galway (UHG) is currently providing services in LUH, with 2 outpatient sessions per month, supported by a Urology Locum who provides 50% day surgery and 50% intermediate surgery sessions, including day-case cystoscopy, on 4 days per month in total. All complex or Urgent Urology cases are referred to Galway.

As part of its Strategic Plan, Saolta envisages operating a hub and spoke urology service model, with a sub-hub in the North West that will provide the majority of urology care locally, as a component of a Group-wide department.

With regard to urology services at UHG, there are a number of measures that are being taken by the Hospital, and at national level, which are intended to reduce current pressure and improve timely access to services at UHG. The UHG Urology Service is provided by 7.5 whole time equivalent Consultant Surgeons and has grown significantly in recent years.

However, Saolta advises that the non-cancer elective and emergency workload has been impacted by limited access to diagnostics, in-patient beds and operating room time; due in part to challenges associated with demand for unscheduled care and shortages of theatre nurses, both of which are currently being addressed. GUH has reinstated the Surgical Day Ward, which will facilitate the provision of day case treatment, including urology day cases.

Also, University Hospital Galway is one of the two national Patient Flow Project pilot sites; this project is assisting with improvements in patient flow, access and efficiency.

In terms of general capacity expansion in UHG, funding has been provided in the 2017 Capital Plan to progress the design of a new ED, as outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government.

New Development and Winter Initiative funding have also been allocated, such that 28 beds in the new ward block have already been opened in early January in order to alleviate seasonal congestion. Recruitment is on-going in order to facilitate the timely opening of further capacity within the new ward block.