Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

221. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a copy of letters and-or emails from a person (details supplied) to the HSE on 2 April 2019. [42775/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The following is the information that relates to the matters referred to by the Deputy.

The officer in question works in my Department's Acute Hospital Division, the division with responsibility for maternity services. In that context, three electronic correspondences were issued by the officer to the HSE on April 2nd, 2019 as follows;

- One email was issued to the HSE's National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) seeking an update on the implementation of the National Maternity Strategy to inform a detailed brief for the Taoiseach. The Programme was asked for details of the actions commenced or completed in accordance with the Programme's priorities as set out in the National Service Plan 2019.

- A second email was issued to the NWIHP requesting an urgent response to a request for a detailed update on the roll-out of termination of pregnancy services in the acute hospital sector, which had issued on 1st April.

- A third email was issued relating to staffing matters at the NWIHP, in the context of ongoing engagement between my Department and the NWIHP to improve the NWIHP's capacity to lead the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services across primary, community and acute care.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

222. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a copy of letters and-or emails from a person (details supplied) to the HSE on 1 April 2019. [42776/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The following is the information that relates to the matters referred to by the Deputy.

The officer in question works in my Department's Acute Hospital Division, the division with responsibility for maternity services. In that context, two electronic correspondences were issued by the officer to the HSE on April 1st, 2019 as follows;

- An email was issued, replying to the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme, requesting further information on the implementation of termination of pregnancy services in a number of acute hospitals. Clarification was sought in relation to the timelines for the roll out of termination services and more detail was requested in relation to the potential challenges arising. Advice was also provided in relation to a funding requirement identified for supports from the Institue of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

- A second email was issued to HSE Estates acknowledging a request for a meeting and questioning whether further legal advice had been received from the HSE legal advisers in the context of the National Maternity Hospital relocation project. The correspondence is part of the ongoing engagement between my Department and the HSE in relation to the development of the legal framework to protect the State’s investment in the new hospital.