asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware that outpatients attending hospitals and dispensaries are often required to wait for some hours; and whether these delays could be eliminated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Outpatients Treatment.
15.
With regard to hospitals, specialist clinics in Dublin hospitals, which presumably the Deputy has in mind, are arranged between the health board and the hospitals concerned and the functions of the Minister for Health are limited to approving the financial arrangements. For various reasons a uniform appointments system is not feasible but of the 22 hospitals in Dublin where out-patients clinics are held 18 have varying systems of appointment in operation. I would be glad to investigate any specific complaints the Deputy has in mind with a view to improving the situation. In so far as dispensaries are concerned, the normal practice is that they are held at specified times each week and patients are attended on a "first come, first served" basis. Pressure has been experienced, especially in the densely populated areas, at the commencement of dispensary sessions, as a large number of people queue well before the hour appointed. In any case, as from 1st April, 1972, in the case of the Eastern Health Board area and from 1st October, 1972, in the case of other areas, persons with full eligibility for health services, will be seen by general practitioners in their private surgeries.
An appointment system is in operation for the child health service, which was introduced on 1st November, 1970, and I understand that it is working satisfactorily.
Is the Minister stating now that the Eastern Health Board will enjoy this facility from the 1st April and that the remaining seven health boards will have to wait until the 1st October? Is that the position?
As I have already explained that to the House the Deputy could not have been present.
That is what the Minister has said.
Yes, and I explained to the House one of the reasons. One of the reasons is a purely technical one. We have to get into operation an elaborate computer system for the fee services and for the drug prescriptions. It is absolutely essential to get it going for one area before it is applied to the others in order to find out what mistakes are being made and in order to eliminate them.
Is the Minister aware that the Mid-Western Health Board have already made provision and have organised this service to operate as from the 1st April? What action will he take in the matter?
As far as I know all the health boards have been informed of the position in regard to the rate at which the service operates. I, myself, have absolutely no feeling about it at all. I am very glad to be able to start the service and the fact that part of it will start on April 1st and part on October 1st does not give me any feeling of regret, I am so glad to see the service starting.
Question No. 16. I am calling Question No. 16.
In view of the statement the Minister has made, will he now sanction the operation of this system from 1st April for the Mid-Western Health Board?
I am not able to do so.
Question No. 16.
Why does the Minister say he welcomes anything we can do? We are ahead of him.
Question No. 16. There are other questions on the Order Paper.
We are speaking about the health of the nation. We have made arrangements——
The Deputy may not make a speech. Question No. 16. There are other Deputies waiting for replies.
We have made arrangements. We are prepared to put this into operation on 1st April. Will the Minister sanction what we have done and not impede us in our progress with regard to the health of the people? I want an answer, a Cheann Comhairle.
Will the Deputy not impede us in going on with questions?
The Deputy is here to do his business and to do his duty and he will continue to do it, whatever the Minister does.