asked the Minister for Health if he will state the total number of hospital beds available in the Twenty-Six Counties in each of the years 1932 to 1954; further, if he will indicate the number of beds expected to be made available shortly and furnish details of bed accommodation in the various categories under which they are generally segregated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Bed Accommodation.
All the information requested by the Deputy is not available and in respect of the earlier years covered in the question, it could not be said with certainty that the figures were compiled on the same basis as figures for later years.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report a statement of the beds available on 31st December, 1944, and on 31st March, 1949, and a further statement showing the additional beds which have become available between the latter and a current date as well as an estimate of the further additional beds which will become available before the end of 1954.
Statement of additional beds which became available between 31st March, 1949 and 14th July, 1954 and of further additional beds which it is expected will become available before the end of 1954.
|
31/3/49 |
15/7/54 |
|
|
Category |
to |
to |
|
14/7/54 |
31/12/54 |
|
|
General Medical and Surgical (including children) |
415 |
630 |
|
Maternity and Gynaeco logy |
204 |
100 |
|
Fever |
304 |
— |
|
Mental Defective |
200 |
700 |
|
Tuberculosis |
1,670 |
649 |
|
2,793 |
2,079 |
NOTE: The foregoing figures take no account of the transfer of accommodation from one category to another, e.g., Fever beds diverted to Tuberculosis.
NUMBERS OF HOSPITAL BEDS AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 1944 (ACUTE ONLY) AND AS AT 31ST MARCH, 1949 (ACUTE AND CHRONIC).
|
CATEGORY |
31st December, 1944 (Acute only) |
31st March, 1949 (Acute and Chronic) |
||||||
|
Local Authority Hospitals |
Public Voluntary Hospitals |
Private Hospitals and Homes |
Grand Total |
Local Authority Hospitals |
Public Voluntary Hospitals |
Private Hospitals and Homes |
Grand Total |
|
|
Medical and Surgical |
5,256 |
2,791 |
1,002 |
9,049 |
5,309 |
3,313 |
998 |
9,620 |
|
Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat |
— |
353 |
— |
353 |
82 |
371 |
— |
453 |
|
Skin and Cancer |
— |
169 |
— |
169 |
229 |
181 |
— |
410 |
|
Isolation and Observation |
43 |
42 |
— |
85 |
11 |
43 |
— |
54 |
|
Maternity |
539 |
458 |
870 |
1,867 |
578 |
520 |
753 |
1,851 |
|
Gynaecological |
— |
220 |
— |
220 |
10 |
219 |
— |
229 |
|
Tuberculosis (Pulmonary) |
1,626 |
718 |
— |
2,344 |
2,630 |
997 |
— |
3,627 |
|
Tuberculosis (Non-pulmon ary) |
107 |
348 |
— |
455 |
133 |
329 |
— |
462 |
|
Orthopaedic |
— |
230 |
— |
230 |
— |
250 |
— |
250 |
|
Fever |
1,875 |
500 |
— |
2,375 |
1,522 |
394 |
— |
1,916 |
|
V.D. |
— |
64 |
— |
64 |
33 |
44 |
— |
77 |
|
Mental |
17,703 |
— |
1,070 |
18,773 |
18,704 |
— |
1,070 |
19,774 |
|
Mental Defective |
— |
1,026 |
— |
1,026 |
51 |
1,156 |
— |
1,207 |
|
Children |
896 |
43 |
— |
939 |
846 |
52 |
— |
898 |
|
Convalescent |
36 |
346 |
— |
382 |
— |
499 |
— |
499 |
|
Rheumatism |
— |
24 |
— |
24 |
— |
24 |
— |
24 |
|
Chronic Sick |
Not included |
2,714 |
373 |
— |
3,087 |
|||
|
TOTAL (Beds) |
28,081 |
7,332 |
2,942 |
38,355 |
32,852 |
8,765 |
2,821 |
44,438 |