Hospital to have satellite units

Satellite emergency units for children would be established around Dublin following the development of the new national paediatric hospital under new proposals by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Irish Timeshas learned that Government plans for emergency clinics for children around Dublin are to be expanded to include day-surgery facilities and some forms of cancer care.

The move comes as Tallaght Hospital is to decide shortly if it should follow Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin in refusing to co-operate with planning for the new children's hospital.

On Wednesday the board of Our Lady's Hospital decided not to engage with the design and planning process for the new facility on foot of staff concerns.

The board and staff at Crumlin believe the Mater site is too small, has inadequate transport links and will provide limited accommodation for parents of sick children.

Yesterday, HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm rejected criticism of the Mater site and suggestions that it was chosen because it is in the Taoiseach's constituency.

"I can absolutely guarantee you there has been no political interference with this.

"I can tell you quite clearly that this site has been chosen with nothing but professional input, and the people on it could never be accused of being in any way politically connected."

He told RTÉ radio: "If we're going to allow individual interests to actually block this again that would be disastrous."

Tallaght Hospital will propose to the Taoiseach that the Government's plans should be amended to allow for the new children's hospital to be developed on two sites under a single governance structure.

Tallaght will argue that there should be in-patient services for children on both sites, and is likely to oppose plans to establish a stand-alone A&E facility for children.

Originally the Government's plans for the new children's hospital envisaged the establishment of a number of urgent care centres for children at a number of other locations.

However, in proposals given to the design consultants, the HSE has suggested that these facilities be expanded into "ambulatory care centres" to include the delivery of day surgery and the administration of chemotherapy for children.