Vol. 478 No. 1
61 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Health when a comprehensive epidural service will be provided for Sligo General Hospital and Letterkenny General Hospital; if additional staff will be required; if such staff will be appointed; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10395/97]
Limerick East): I am aware of the difficulties in providing epidural services at Sligo and Letterkenny General Hospitals. The North-Western Health Board is committed to providing a much enhanced epidural service and in this context a full review of the service in Sligo General Hospital was initiated and is now almost complete. It has involved discussions within the hospital in order to ensure that adequate and safe levels of medical cover are provided for the service. It is planned to recruit additional junior anaesthetic staff from 1 July 1997 and this will result in a modern epidural service being available to mothers in the Sligo catchment area. A similar review of epidural services has been initiated in Letterkenny General Hospital and a development plan for the Letterkenny service is being completed. It is the board's overall aim to provide a modern epidural service at both its general hospitals in Sligo and Letterkenny.
