Opening Galway Regional maternity extension
Geoghegan-Quinn sought funding and staff to open the completed Galway maternity extension. The Minister said some extra staffing was needed but argued the health board should phase in the service using its existing resources, with only minor departmental adjustments.
Is it the Minister's intention to provide the necessary finance required to enable the Western Health Board to open a new maternity extension to the maternity department of the Galway Regional Hospital which has been completed and handed over by the builder? It has been vacant for the past six months.
Comment on this
My Department have had discussions from time to time in relation to the Galway Regional maternity unit which has been completed. It should be within the competence and financial resources of the Western Health Board to deploy staff from within their budget to enable that unit to be opened if they wish to do so. In 1984 there will be a severe limitation in my Department's Vote for the provision of new services in the context of more nurses, consultants and staff for a particular unit. With the staff they have in Galway and the surrounding counties, they should be able to provide a service for the maternity wing in Galway as the number of births in the western region have not increased to the extent that they are demanding additional resources.
Comment on this
I understood that Department officials had made it known to the Western Health Board that, while they were quite prepared to accept following discussions with the Western Health Board officials that the extra staff were really required to operate the unit successfully, they had some difficulty in convincing the Department of Finance officials? Would the Minister try to convince his colleague at the Cabinet table and perhaps then the unit could be opened and we would have an efficient service available in Galway?
Comment on this
I accept that some additional staffing within the unit concerned — I have visited it — is required; but I still contend that, apart from minor revenue adjustments on the part of my Department, it should be within the ability of the Western Health Board to make arrangements for the phased opening and the relieving of congestion in the maternity wing of Galway Regional Hospital.
I am a great believer that once something is put into operation, amazing work can be done by whatever manpower is available. Too many people hold off, saying they require, say, an additional 50 people, instead of availing of the unit that has been provided and helping people in that way.
