Vol. 519 No. 3
170 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on a recent survey carried out by the Department of Psychology in the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland at a Dublin accident and emergency department which found that only 16% of patients were satisfied with waiting times and 73% were dissatisfied. [13874/00]
The survey referred to by the Deputy has not been submitted to my Department and therefore I am not in a position to comment on its findings. However, I am aware that many patients attending accident and emergency departments with non-urgent ailments experience long waiting times before receiving treatment. It is important to note that while patients may experience delays in accident and emergency departments, every effort is made by the staff to keep these delays to a minimum and to ensure that appropriate medical treatment is provided to all patients at all times.
The Deputy may wish to note that in recent years significant additional funding has been allocated to hospitals providing accident and emergency services. I have provided additional funding of £2 million this year to enable the hospitals to implement various initiatives aimed at addressing difficulties experienced by accident and emergency departments, particularly during periods of peak demand. These initiatives will include measures to free up beds for emergency admissions through the provision of alternative step-down facilities for patients occupying beds in acute hospitals for lengthy periods. They will allow for the provision of enhanced staffing levels, the development of rapid diagnostic systems for common emergency presentations, continued development of treatment/observation areas in accident and emergency departments and improved access for general practitioners to urgent specialist opinion.
I am committed to improving accident and emergency services and in this regard officials in my Department, in consultation with the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards, are examining measures aimed at reducing lengthy waiting times in such departments.
