asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that doctors who have been advised by the Dublin Hospitals Bed Bureau that there were no beds available for their patients have on subsequent direct inquiry to Dublin hospitals been informed that beds were available; and if in the circumstances he will take steps to ensure that the Bureau is more accurately informed and more efficient.
Ceisteanna—Questions (Resumed). - Dublin Hospitals Bed Bureau.
131.
I have had inquiries made from the Dublin Hospitals Bureau and I understand that a check on their records for the three months August to October last did not disclose any general practice by the Dublin hospitals of giving contradictory information about the availability of beds as suggested in the question. The great majority of the applications made to the Bureau are dealt with promptly and satisfactorily. In the relatively small proportion of cases in which the Bureau experiences difficulty in finding accommodation the situation described by the Deputy can occasionally arise. That it does is not a reflection on the efficiency of the Bureau. I intend to pursue the matter further to ensure in so far as this is possible that the situation complained of will not recur.
Would the Minister not agree that if it is not a reflection on the Bureau, and I never intended it as such, it is a reflection on the information given by the hospitals to the Bureau? Would the Minister investigate one particular case where a doctor wanted to get an infant with pneumonia into a hospital, the hospital bureau was informed that there was no bed available and when the doctor subsequently communicated directly with St. Kevin's Hospital found that there were a number of cots available. This is less than fair to the doctors, it is endangering the sick people and certainly not in keeping with the kind of service that ought to be available between hospitals and the bureau?
Yes; that particular doctor in fact had another case in which he had exactly the same experience. I am not satisfied that this should happen in any circumstances. I intend to communicate with the Deputy as soon as I have completed my inquiries about it because it is not the sort of situation which should occur at all.
I am grateful to the Minister.