Written answers
Tuesday, 7 November 2023
Department of Health
Cross-Border Co-operation
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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1142. To ask the Minister for Health what efforts he has made to examine cross-Border co-operation between the public hospitals at Altnagelvin, Letterkenny, Enniskillen and Sligo on a range of medical procedures and operations for patients in the region to prevent long waiting lists, long distances to travel and the increasing cost of referring patients to private care options. [47577/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Enhancing North-South cooperation is a priority for the Irish Government. I am committed to working with partners in Northern Ireland to improve cooperation in health and social care where there are clear benefits for both jurisdictions and for patients across the island.
There are a number of agreements in place covering specific specialist Cross Border initiatives that ensure that patients can receive a range of medical procedures/services as close to home as possible. This has helped reduce travel time, and the ease of access, which has been hugely beneficial for patients, their families and carers.
The North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Area Hospital is a £66m sterling capital development project that has been funded on a North-South basis. This Centre, incorporating the new Radiotherapy Unit, commenced services at end 2016. In 2021, 253 Irish patients were treated in Altnagelvin, with 267 Irish patients treated in 2022 and 213 patients referred YTD September 2023. Since it opened, over 1,220 Irish patients have been treated at the Centre.
The North West Cardiology Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) service agreement, which has been in place since 2016, provides for the provision of Primary PCI to Donegal patients at Altnagelvin Hospital. The cardiology service is provided to patients with a diagnosed ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction condition (i.e., a heart attack). The figure for patients transferred for PCI services from Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) in 2022 was 72, and there were 118 transferred for PCI services from LUH YTD July 2023.
Other examples of specific specialist treatments on a cross-border basis are set out in the following table (this is a dynamic list, subject to change and under ongoing review):
Service | NI Partner | ROI Partner | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Maxillofacial Surgery(OMFS) Services | Altnagelvin Hospital (in-patients, out- patients & day-cases) | Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH)(outpatients) | Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Services (trauma and elective) at Altnagelvin Hospital (in-patients, out- patients & day-cases) and Letterkenny University Hospital (outpatients). |
| Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Services | Altnagelvin Hospital | Sligo University Hospital | Oral Max. Surgery Services (trauma only) at Altnagelvin Hospital (in-patients, out- patients and day-cases). Altnagelvin Hospital provides a full range of oral, maxillofacial services and facilitates minor and major head and neck surgeries. This is a 7-day service and the ward covers emergencies at weekends and out of hours with direct GP access to treatment and assessment areas. The OMFS is supported in outpatients by the Audiology Service, Orthodontic Service, Medical Illustration and Specialist Nurses in OMFS. |
| Milk Bank | Western Health and Social Care Trust(WHSCT) | HSE & voluntary hospitals | Contract for banked human donor milk courier collects milk from South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) in Enniskillen twice weekly. |
| Haemodialysis Services | Altnagelvin | LUH | Insertion Renal Fistulas at Altnagelvin Hospital for Donegal patients |
| Renal Dialysis Services | Altnagelvin | LUH | Renal Dialysis services delivered at Altnagelvin Hospital for Donegal Patients |
| Nuclear Medicines Facilities | Altnagelvin | LUH | Facilities at Altnagelvin Hospital for Donegal patients |
| Clinical Chemistry Services | Altnagelvin | LUH | Xanthochromia detection service completed at Altnagelvin for Donegal patients |
| Oesophageal Manometry Services | Altnagelvin | LUH | Pre-Oesophageal Surgery Test completed at Altnagelvin Hospital for Donegal patients |
| Endoscopy & Fluoroscopy Services | WHSCT - Altnagelvin | LUH | Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) Test for Biliary or Pancreatic Problems completed at Altnagelvin Hospital for Donegal patients |
Furthermore, there is ongoing and good engagement between officials in my Department and their counterparts in the Department of Health, Northern Ireland. Most recently, Senior Officials from both Departments met in Dublin in July, n follow-up to a previous engagement in Belfast in January, to discuss areas of health cooperation which could be expanded to benefit residents on the island of Ireland.
This year, my Department also established an intra-departmental North-South Working Group to support this broad North-South cooperation in all areas of my Department's work. The Group was set up with Secretary General Robert Watt's endorsement to underline the importance of this work. The Group has identified a number of areas which would benefit from enhanced North-South cooperation which is guiding Senior Officials’ engagement. I am committed to continuing close and productive cooperation with Northern Ireland.
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