Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1516. To ask the Minister for Health if the recent decision to transport patients via ambulance directly to the medical assessment unit in Ennis General Hospital instead of University Hospital Limerick, subject to certain criteria, is a temporary or permanent measure; if additional resources will be provided to Ennis General Hospital on foot of this decision; if this measure will be extended to Nenagh General Hospital and St. John's Hospital, Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1578/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) pathway for 112/999 patients, introduced in Ennis Hospital on the 9th January 2023, follows an earlier successful pilot conducted by the National Ambulance Service in North Cork involving the transportation of certain patients to Mallow General Hospital for treatment instead of patients being directly conveyed to an emergency department. 

The Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) care pathway allows stable medical patients that meet agreed clinical and other criteria to receive medical treatment in a hospital closer to their home, reduce patient presentations at emergency departments and to enable faster turnaround times for emergency ambulances to allow them to respond to other emergencies. 

I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter with any further information they may have on this matter.