Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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508. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24487/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The specialty of rheumatology continues to be one of the most rapidly growing services within Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and now accounts for the highest number of medical day care patients per year. This increase in demand has had a corresponding effect on waiting lists for paediatric rheumatology services.

The HSE has developed a new National Model of Care for Paediatric Healthcare Services, which includes the development of a hub and spoke model of care for paediatric rheumatology as part of a national clinical network for paediatrics. The new children’s hospital will have a central role in this national model of care which will include the provision of outreach clinics to regional centres to improve access for those children living outside the greater Dublin area. The development of the new children’s hospital and satellites provides an opportunity to progress operational integration of the three existing children’s hospital rheumatology services and to plan for the appropriate provision of these services well in advance of the move to the new facilities. The Children’s Hospital Group has confirmed that facilities for rheumatology services in the new children's hospital will include clinical examination rooms in one of the Outpatient suites as well as day beds in the Day Care Unit which will be assigned to rheumatology in light of the fact that rheumatology is predominately an outpatient and day care based service. Admissions to inpatient services will be accommodated in the medical ward.

Minister McEntee recently met with representatives from the Irish Children’s Arthritis Network to discuss services for people with juvenile arthritis, and I am due to meet with representatives from Arthritis Ireland in the coming weeks to further discuss the service needs.