Martin reveals new plans for Cork hospitals

Mr Micheál Martin

Cork’s acute hospitals will undergo major changes in the months following the publication today of a report into the development of the city’s hospital services.

The Report of the Top Level Steering Group on Acute Hospital Services in Cork was launched by the Minister for Health Mr Martin in University College Cork.

He said the report was "evidence of my commitment to address service issues in a meaningful fashion, so as to reshape the way in which health is delivered and to better meet the needs of patients".

Next year funding for Cork’s voluntary hospitals will be centralised and distributed directly through the Southern Health Board. The report claims the absence of a single funding stream had militated against an integrated approach.

Responsibility for strategic planning will rest with an Acute Hospitals Planning Forum.

The Minister said 25 additional consultant posts have been sanctioned or are coming on stream at a cost of £21.25 million and said future requirements would be addressed in the health estimates for 2002.