asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the urgent need for a paediatric unit and isolation unit for children in Waterford city.
14.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Waterford Hospitals.
13.
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that a young child was recently refused admission to Ardkeen Hospital, Waterford because it had an infectious disease; and if he will take immediate steps to remedy the situation.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together.
As regards Question No. 14, I have had enquiries made of the SouthEastern Health Board and have been informed that their arrangements for the treatment of cases suffering from infectious diseases and requiring hospitalisation are that the patient should be sent to the New Ross Fever Hospital unless his condition is such that the journey to New Ross would involve risk, in which case local hospitals, including Ardkeen, have plans for the provision of immediate isolation accommodation where the patient can be treated until in a fit condition to undertake the journey to New Ross. I understand that general practitioners in the health board area have been made aware of these arrangements.
There has been a recent case of a child being refused admission to Ardkeen which is possibly the one the Deputy has in mind. In that case, I am informed that the condition of the child was not critical and that there was no question of risk in sending the patient to New Ross.
I am satisfied that the health board's arrangements are generally satisfactory and that it is undesirable that infectious diseases should be treated otherwise than in fever hospitals or in special units of general hospitals except, of course, in emergencies.
As regards Question No. 13, it has been agreed between my Department and the South Eastern Health Board that a regional paediatric service should be developed at Ardkeen with, eventually, a new permanent 50-bed paediatric unit. Planning for this unit will, however, have to be done in the context of the overall development plan for the Ardkeen site which must inevitably take some considerable time. It has been agreed, therefore, that a temporary 30-bed unit should be provided as quickly as possible by the adaptation and extension of the existing building. Plans for this temporary unit are well advanced and it is hoped that work will commence in early summer. Let me emphasise that this development in no way inhibits the plans for a permanent paediatric unit. Arrangements are also being made for the early recruitment of a paediatrician and it is envisaged that eventually a second will be needed.