Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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432. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the arrangements surrounding the provision of 20-week anomaly scans at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Mullingar. [9558/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The National Maternity Strategy is very clear that all women must have equal access to standardised ultrasound services and, to this end, additional funding has been made available to the National Women & Infants Health Programme in 2018. I understand that the Hospital Groups have identified a need for an additional 28 ultrasonographers in order to be able to provide 100% access to anomaly scanning; I am pleased to note that the Programme has recently approved the appointment of these additional ultrasonographers. Allowing for recruitment and training, I am advised that it is likely to take at least 18 months to achieve 100% access to anomaly scanning. In the meantime, I am assured that the Programme will continue to work with the six Hospital Groups to assist in increasing access to anomaly scans for those units with limited availability. In that context I am confident that the 2018 investment will make tangible improvements.

In relation to the Deputy's query regarding Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.