asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) which dealt with the psychological damage to child patients in hospitals and which advocated free transport facilities to enable parents or relatives to visit children who are hospitalised a long distance from home; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Children In Hospitals.
8.
I have seen the report in question. While there is no specific provision in the Health Acts for the provision of free transport facilities in such circumstances, I understand from inquiries made that the practice on this question varies between different health authorities—some give assistance to necessitous parents to travel to visit their children in hospital, others do not.
I am hopeful that the new health boards will adopt a uniform and sympathetic approach to the matter when they assume responsibility for the administration of the health services in April next.
Will the Minister issue a circular recommending that this report be considered?
I would prefer the health boards to examine it in conjunction with their total financial position and the implications of it. Some health authorities have issued travelling vouchers to necessitous parents who accompany children to hospitals, but not to ordinary visitors.
Does the Minister not agree that meanwhile children are suffering a psychological trauma?
I think that is an exaggerated statement.
It is because children are far away from home for so long.
9.
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of an acute shortage of cot beds in children's hospitals in Dublin; if there are any proposals before his Department for coping with the increased demand for cot beds for medical illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am not aware of any general acute shortage of cot beds in children's hospitals in Dublin.
Since early January there has been an unprecedented seasonal demand for the admission of young children suffering from respiratory conditions. The unusual weather with rapid fluctuations in temperature was probably a major contributory factor. This exceptional demand for hospital treatment of upper respiratory tract infections has been noted at this time in previous years but the scale of the demand has been much greater this year than in the past few years.
Although the Minister says he is not aware of the fact, he says also that there has been an unprecedented demand for hospital treatment. Consequently, must there not be an unprecedented shortage of cot beds? Will he not consider some proposals for increasing the number of cot beds in those hospitals? Those hospitals have not been extended in recent years and there have not been any new hospitals built.
I do not propose to increase the number of cot beds for this specific purpose. I am studying the study group on children's hospital services. This involves more complex questions than the total number of beds. It involves where they should be sited, the position of general hospitals in regard to the care of sick children and a number of other matters. In my own view, the situation could be far better met by more effective use of out-patient facilities and out-patient care, by public health nurses and so forth.
The Minister will agree that a long time ago I made recommendations to him about diagnostic day centres.