asked the Minister for Health the function and statutory powers of the Hospital Bed Bureau; and if, in view of the fact that certain hospitals are not abiding by its regulations, he will look into this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Bed Bureau.
47.
The functions of the Bureau as set out in section 2 of the Public Hospitals (Amendment) Act, 1940, are to facilitate the admission to scheduled hospitals of persons requiring hospital treatment and to provide for medical practitioners and other interested persons information as to accommodation available from time to time in such hospitals.
The routine work of the Bureau is governed by the Hospitals Commission (Dublin Hospitals Bureau) Regulations, 1941. The hospitals to which the Bureau's functions relate are set out in the Dublin Hospital Bureau Order, 1940.
The working of the Bureau depends primarily on co-operation by the hospitals with the Bureau rather than on the force of regulations. I have received a report from the Hospitals Commission covering the working of the Bed Bureau during the three years 1962 to 1964 and this is being examined at present in my Department. While the degree of co-operation generally by the hospitals is satisfactory, there appear to be some exceptions to this, and I intend to go fully into the matter.