Vol. 189 No. 4
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that there are mentally handicapped educable children whose maintenance is at present being paid for by local health authorities at Stewart's Hospital, where no educational or training facilities are being provided by the hospital authorities; and whether in these circumstances he will advise the local authorities to request that such facilities be provided without delay, or else have the children concerned withdrawn from the hospital.
2.
asked the Minister for Health if it is a fact that the maintenance capitation fees paid by local authorities to Stewart's Hospital are greater than those paid to St. John of God's and the French Sisters of Charity who provide full first-class educational and training facilities; and, if so, if he will consider recommending a reduction in the capitation rate paid to Stewart's Hospital if the hospital authorities persist in refusing to provide similar educational and training facilities for the children under their care.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
Stewart's Hospital and the other institutions mentioned in the questions are voluntary institutions for the day-to-day running of which I have no responsibility. My function in regard to them is to decide whether they should be approved for the purposes of Section 10 of the Health Act, 1953, and the capitation rate to be paid in respect of eligible patients sent to them by local health authorities. My decision whether or not to approve any institution or to continue or discontinue approval, must be based on a report by my advisers as to whether they provide a reasonable standard of care. The Deputy will appreciate that opinions may differ as to whether the standard of care given in any individual instance is adequate or inadequate; but when I caused special inquiries to be made some time ago following a complaint, I was satisfied that the standard in Stewart's Hospital was not inadequate. In this connection, regard must be had to the level of intelligence of the patients which the hospital admits.
I may add that I am not aware that the hospital authority "persist in refusing to provide...educational and training facilities", as mentioned in the question.
The rate of payment approved by me in respect of patients maintained under the provisions of the Health Acts in Stewart's Hospital is higher than in the other institutions mentioned. These rates are based on the average cost as shown in the audited accounts of the institutions. The costs so ascertained vary as between the different institutions for a number of reasons, including the relative bed complements and the type of patient accommodated.
When the Minister says that they do not "persist in refusing to provide educational and training facilities" does he mean to imply they have now agreed to do so?
I think the implication is that they have always provided them.
And they are providing them at the moment? Is that so?
Yes.
