THE MATER Private Hospital in Dublin is to set up a paediatric service with the aid of joint appointments between it and Temple Street Children’s University Hospital.
A decision to re-instate the service was taken after an absence of more than six years. Paediatric surgeons and anaesthetists, while contracted to Temple Street, will now also work for the new Mater service.
According to Mater Private Hospital chief executive Fergus Clancy, the decision on joint appointments was made to provide patients of the paediatric service with better care, as the staff of Temple Street are regarded as having exceptional skills due to the level of work they undertake.
“Surgeons would be considered to be well qualified to get appointed to a university hospital facility ,” he said, adding that at the children’s hospital “they would be doing sufficient work to keep their skills up.
“Joint appointments mean that you’re tapping into all of that.”
Commenting on the new facilities, which already have had a trial run for some months, Mr Clancy said service had resumed due to greater public demand. The paediatric service available at the Mater will initially consist of minor ear, nose and throat surgeries as well as general surgery and plastic surgery.
The paediatric service is covered under the National Treatment Purchase Fund and a number of insurance policies including VHI Plan B.