Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on his engagement with the HSE in relation the future of the emergency department in Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan; if he will commit to bringing forward proposals to protect and enhance emergency and critical services at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37458/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE has proposed a process of planned service changes at Navan. The HSE advises that these changes are necessary to support safe service delivery on a sustained basis and are driven first and foremost by patient safety and very real clinical concerns.

While recognising the very real clinical concerns identified, the Government is clear that several important issues, including additional capacity in other hospitals impacted and the continued ability of people in the Navan area to access emergency and urgent care, would need to be fully addressed before any proposed transition by the HSE.

I have asked the HSE to undertake a process to review, validate and stress test the reconfiguration planning. My Department is currently engaging with the HSE in relation to this process, with a view to it being completed within a matter of weeks.

This process will need to be completed before I consider a definitive date for the implementation of proposed changes. Ongoing preparations for reconfiguration, including consultation can take place in parallel with this process.