Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Jun 2003

Vol. 569 No. 3

Written Answers. - Hospital Accommodation.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

343 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the total number of medical and surgical hospital beds currently available throughout the country, excluding the greater Dublin area; the number of such beds available in the 1970s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17816/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

344 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the total number of medical and surgical hospital beds currently available in the greater Dublin area; the number of such beds available in the 1970s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17817/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

345 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of hospital wards in the various hospitals throughout the country which have for one or other reason been decommissioned or are only partially functioning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17818/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 343, 344 and 345 together.

The total number of in-patient beds available in 2002 was 12,169, of which 4,851 were located within the Dublin area. The total number of in-patient beds available in 1975 was 14,843, of which 7,127 were located within the Dublin area. It should be noted that, in respect of 2002, the number of in-patient beds refers to the number available for use, whereas, for 1975, the number of in-patient beds refers to the bed complement.

It should also be noted that an additional 783 day beds were available nationally in 2002 compared to none in 1975. This is due to the fact that day activity is now a significant component of hospital based care in Ireland and there has been a rapid movement in recent years towards day case work in which a variety of routine and complex treatments, surgery and diagnostic tests can now be performed with the patient being admitted and discharged from hospital on the same day. Much of the growth is the result of technological and medical innovations, such as less invasive surgery and advances in anaesthetics. There has been an increase of 13% in the number of day cases between 2001 and 2002, which is similar to the increases experienced in preceding years. This increase reflects the increasing ability of the hospital system to treat more patients on a day basis.

On foot of the report, the Government decided, in the context of the health strategy, to provide an additional 3,000 beds in acute hospitals by 2011. I introduced the first phase of this process and provided for an additional 709 acute beds and my Department is examining the regional issues associated with the allocation of the remaining 3,000 acute beds.

The position regarding hospital beds which were not in use as at 12 June 2003 is that 338 beds were not in use across the acute hospital system. It is a feature of all acute hospital systems that some beds are out of use for short periods of time. Bed closures result from ward refurbishment, essential ward maintenance, staff leave, seasonal closures and infection control measures. Traditional seasonal bed closures take place during the summer months in hospitals around the country.

Under the Health (Amendment) (No 3) Act 1996, health agencies are required to deliver a level of service consistent with their approved budgets. Given the level of funding available this year, the structuring of overall service plans by health agencies for 2003 may involve some containment of service activity in order to manage within budget. To contain activity and remain within budget some hospitals have temporarily closed some beds in 2003. These closures are in addition to the normal seasonal closures that take place in hospitals during the holiday periods.

Questions Nos. 346 and 347 answered with Question No. 335.