Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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450. To ask the Minister for Health if he will support, fund and direct the HSE to develop a rehabilitation ward in empty buildings on the site of Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath in order to allow for the treatment of persons that are clinically discharged from hospital and still forced to occupy beds due to a blocked pathway for treatment. [42386/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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451. To ask the Minister for Health if he will start to fund the ten bed escalation ward that has been operating within Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, County Meath for the past number of years in view of the fact this ward is key in order to prevent overcrowding and for the safe delivery of healthcare in County Meath. [42387/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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452. To ask the Minister for Health if he or the HSE plans to close or part close the 24 hour emergency department service in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath in the next 12 months in view of the level of pressure experienced by the hospital network in the region. [42388/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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453. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath can function safely into the future in view of the fact the conditions in the emergency department have not changed since it was opened in 2015. [42389/17]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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454. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost to facilitate 24 hour emergency department consultant cover in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath. [42390/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 450 to 454, inclusive, together.

Our Lady’s Hospital Navan is part of the Ireland East Hospital Group. Every hospital in that Group, large and small, has a vital role to play within the Group, with smaller hospitals managing routine, urgent or planned care locally and more complex care managed in the larger hospitals.

Currently, the Hospital Group is engaged in a programme of re-design work to further integrate and enhance the role of Navan hospital within the Group and to ensure that it will provide more services safely and appropriately. A key development has been efforts to promote better integration between the Mater and Navan hospitals, in relation to day surgical activity in Navan, with surgeons from the Mater carrying out surgery in Navan. Recent capital investments include upgrade of general theatres and the Sterile Services Unit and refurbishment of the Emergency Department.

The Hospital Redesign Working Group includes representation from local GPs, the National Ambulance Service, the Mater and Navan Hospitals and from the Ireland East Hospital Group. It is intended that the Hospital Group will continue to engage closely with all interested parties to ensure that the needs of patients, staff, the local and wider community are addressed.

I can assure the Deputy that there are no immediate plans to change Emergency Department services at Navan. Any proposed changes to Emergency Department services will only take place after stakeholder consultation in the context of overall service reorganisation in the Hospital Group and will be undertaken in a planned and orderly manner.

In relation to the specific service queries raised by the Deputy I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.