asked the Minister for Health if having regard to the closing down of bed units at St. Mary's Hospital, Phoenix Park, Dublin, because of lack of nursing staff he will indicate what proposals he has to remedy this situation, particularly in the matter of improving the pay and conditions of service of the nursing staff.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - St. Mary's Hospital, Dublin.
7.
One unit of St. Mary's Hospital, a 36-bed female medical ward, was closed last month owing to a seasonal falling off in the demand for beds. It is anticipated that this ward will be reopened at the beginning of winter when the demand for admission of patients is expected, as usual, to increase.
There is no shortage of nursing staff at the hospital.
Details of recent improvements in the remuneration of nurses and in their conditions of service were given in my replies to questions on the 8th and 16th of July.
I am sorry I did not quite hear——
Will the Minister not agree that St. Mary's Hospital is for geriatric cases? Is he also not aware that there is a long waiting list for the admission of geriatric cases and how could it be that there is a seasonal falling-off in the number of cases?
But there is a seasonal falling-off. That is my official information.
(Interruptions.)
Arising out of the Minister's reply——
Could the Minister state——
Will the Deputy give me a chance? I am not satisfied with the Minister's reply. My experience is that people are finding great difficulty in getting patients admitted to St. Mary's Hospital and the reasons advanced are shortage of nursing staff and beds——
Perhaps the Deputy has a question to ask.
I am asking the Minister to look into this matter as a matter of urgency.
I shall look into it.
Would the Minister give an assurance that there is no waiting list?
All the information I have shows that at this time of the year there are actually vacant beds. There are two other factors that help to reduce patient intake: outpatient clinics, which provide aid and service for elderly people who would otherwise seek permanent admission—the outpatient service is perhaps reducing the demand for hospital beds among a certain type of people—and secondly, there is an intermittent bed unit which accepts people for short periods.
Will the Minister look into this problem because I am aware that there is a waiting list for admission?
I shall have it investigated.