Paediatricians' opinions sought on new hospital

External consultants advising on the development of the planned new national children's hospital are to seek submissions from "paediatric professionals" on the proposed model of care to be adopted at the centre.

The request for submissions, which is being made this week, is likely to delay the report of the consultants, Rawlinson Kelly & Whittlestone (RKW), by several weeks.

The absence of the involvement of paediatricians in the decision to locate the new hospital on the Mater hospital site has been highlighted by critics of the project.

In advising on the model of care to be adopted, RKW has been asked to examine issues such as the proposed development of urgent care/ambulatory centres in other parts of Dublin, and the relationship these should have with the centralised national children's hospital.

The consultants have been asked to advise on how many centres there should be and the type of services they could provide, including out-patient, day surgery, day medical procedures and some forms of urgent care.

The consultants are also to consider developing other treatment models such as treating patients in the community as part of a "hospital at home" initiative.

RKW will examine how the proposed maternity services on the children's hospital site could be developed to maximise the benefits of linking with other medical specialities on the Mater campus.

In advertisements to be placed this week, the Health Service Executive (HSE), on behalf of RKW, is inviting "paediatric professionals" to comment or make submissions on the proposed model of care by March 14th.

It had been envisaged that the RKW report would be completed by the middle of March. However, senior HSE sources said at the weekend that the report would now be expected in April.

Minister for Health Mary Harney told the Dáil last week that the RKW framework brief would also "inform decisions in relation to the size and type of accommodation to be provided at the hospital for parents and guardians of children".

A spokesman for the HSE said RKW had also established a panel of experts to provide clinical expertise, including senior doctors from children's hospitals in Manchester and Toronto.