Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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880. To ask the Minister for Health if the new elective hospital will cater for both day care procedures and procedures that require inpatient care;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51234/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The development of elective hospital facilities in Dublin, Cork and Galway is in line with the National Development Plan, the Health Service Capacity Review, the Programme for Government and the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy & Action Plan 2021-2023.2

Greater elective care capacity created by Elective Centres will release capacity in existing hospitals for non-elective and inpatient activity. In addition, being able to dedicate more resources towards non-elective and inpatient care could enable patient pathway improvements as well as operational performance. All these impacts could result in faster treatment for patients and enable them to receive better health outcomes and experience.

The additional delivery capability provided by the proposed ECCs would create significant value for the wider public hospital network. In particular, this initiative will free up significant theatre space, bed capacity and further enables the separation of elective and non-elective care.

Surgical stay patients are not included within the scope of these new ECCs as it is assumed that these, by definition, more complex procedures will be carried out within the public hospital network. It is also likely that this approach will better suit patients, for example, making it easier for family visits.

The Elective Hospitals Oversight Group, under the joint governance of the HSE, Department of Health and Sláintecare, is guiding the development of the elective hospitals, following the process outlined in the Public Spending Code.

A Preliminary Business Case (PBC) has been completed and is undergoing internal review in the Department of Health. If approved, the PBC will be further evaluated by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform and submitted to Government for consideration.