Minister names children's hospital review group

MINISTER FOR Health James Reilly has appointed an architect, two planners, a number of senior doctors and a British hospital executive to the group which is to examine the decision by An Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission for the new national children’s hospital.

The group, which is to be chaired by former Health Service Executive (HSE) chairman Frank Dolphin, has been asked to report within 56 days.

Among those appointed to the group yesterday were town planner Simon Clear, who is a former senior inspector with An Bord Pleanála, and John Martin, who recently retired as principal planning adviser to the Department of the Environment.

Architect Michael Collins, a former president of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, has also been appointed to the group. He founded the practice MCA in 1988 and has been involved in a number of hospital projects.

The group also includes consultant paediatric haematologist at Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin, Prof Owen Smith.

Paediatricians from hospitals outside Dublin have also been appointed. These include professor of paediatrics and child health at University College Cork Dr Jonathan Hourihane; consultant paediatrician Prof BJ Loftus, who is dean of the college of medicine, nursing and health sciences at NUI Galway; and consultant paediatrician Dr Clodagh O’Gorman, who is professor of paediatrics at the University of Limerick.

Under its terms of reference, which were agreed by the Cabinet earlier this month, the new group will be able to examine alternative locations for the new paediatric hospital, including greenfield sites. Speaking last week Dr Reilly said that “everything is on the table”.

The group has been asked to consider the options, having regard to:

* Government policy on the delivery of health services, including accessibility and paediatric services in particular, and best clinical practice considerations;

* the cost and value for money considerations of the options;

* the likely timelines associated with the different options.

Dr Reilly said the group would advise the Government on “the most expeditious way of getting the hospital built”.

He said the primary concern of the Government was to see the hospital built as quickly as possible. However, he said he did not want to see the project rushed either.

Dr Reilly also appointed three senior figures to the board of the HSE: Jim Breslin, secretary general of the Department of Children; Frances Spillane, head of the national human resource and workforce planning unit in the Department of Health; and Tony O’Brien, the chief operating officer of the special delivery unit in the Department of Health.

Mr O’Brien replaces Martin Connor. Mr Connor is the head of the special delivery unit, and has been at the centre of some controversy in recent weeks after it emerged that he is largely based in California.