Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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25. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the HSE undertook no public consultation on the closure of MIDOC services in Birr and Edenderry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17054/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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An independent review of MIDOC services in Offaly was undertaken in 2017, which identified concerns in the areas of clinical risk, medical emergencies, and lone working. These concerns related specifically to locum doctors working alone at the MIDOC satellite sites at Birr and Edenderry.

Since 2 April 2018, MIDOC has been operating one fully functioning treatment centre on the campus of the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore for the entire Offaly population. This is broadly in line with the other MIDOC centres across the Midlands. A full review and assessment of the service provision for the entire county was undertaken in terms of quality, risk, safety, population, activity levels and viability before these changes were made.

Previous service provision at the Edenderry and Birr satellite sites was limited and available on a part-time basis only. At all other times patients would have appointments facilitated for them at their nearest full-time MIDOC treatment centre.

It was also not possible for the doctors in the Edenderry or Birr sites to provide home visits to patients. Following the reorganisation of County Offaly MIDOC services it is now possible to provide call outs and home visits to patients where clinically indicated.

A review of current monthly activity levels indicates that Tullamore will be more than capable of absorbing the patients from Birr and Edenderry centres. An additional doctor has been placed on duty in Tullamore during weekends and public holidays from 12pm to 8pm. This will facilitate the more effective management of call outs to the entire county, including Birr and Edenderry. Additional administration support will also be provided to free up doctors' time, resulting in more patient contact and a more effective out-of-hours service for all.

I would like to reassure the Deputy that there has been no reduction in funding or total GP clinical time allocated to the MIDOC service. As the Deputy will be aware, local HSE management met with public representatives from Birr and Edenderry on 17 April to discuss the reorganisation of MIDOC services. At this meeting the HSE accepted the need for improved public communication around such service changes in future. The HSE also agreed to request a meeting between public representatives and MIDOC. This request has been submitted to MIDOC and is currently being considered.