Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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968. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the national steering group established to develop policy on a major trauma system for Ireland; if any of the proposals include closing emergency departments, diminishing services or closing or removing trauma services from any hospital; if so the identity of those hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13916/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The development of a policy on a trauma system for Ireland is a joint initiative from the Department of Health and the HSE in recognition that we do not have a coordinated trauma network structure in Ireland. The primary aim of developing this policy is to improve patient outcomes and to lead to a reduction in preventable death and disability for a particular, small category of patients who sustain traumatic injuries. It is not about closing Emergency Departments or diminishing services. There are currently no plans to close or remove trauma services from any hospital. To put this in context, Emergency Departments provide 24/7 access for emergency and urgent presentations across the spectrum of medical and surgical conditions and major trauma patients represent a very small percentage of total Emergency Department activity.

A trauma patient needs access to the best service that has the right resources to match their often multiple and critical needs in the shortest time possible. The trauma care pathway encompasses pre-hospital care, Emergency Department resuscitation, emergency surgical intervention, reconstruction of injuries and rehabilitation. The aim of developing national policy on a trauma system is to ensure that trauma patients are brought to the right place at the right time for the right care so they can make the best recovery possible.

The Steering Group has been working with the Department of Health, the HSE and all relevant HSE National Clinical Leads, including Surgery, Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, Critical Care, Orthopaedics and Trauma on the development of the policy. Given its scale, this is still work in progress but it is expected the Steering Group's report will be completed as soon as possible in 2017.