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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Feb 1974

Vol. 270 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin City Accident Victims.

3.

asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied with the existing arrangements for attendance on and treatment of accident victims at Dublin city hospitals, particularly from midnight to morning; and if it is proposed to reorganise this service.

At the moment five Dublin hospitals have special facilities to cope with accident and emergencies from 6 p.m to 9 a.m. each night from Monday to Friday and from 6 p.m. on Friday to 9 a.m. on Monday. These are Jervis Street, the Mater, Dr. Steevens', the Meath and St. Vincent's hospitals. They operate a rota system whereby one or two hospitals on the south side and one hospital on the north side are on duty each night.

It occasionally happens that a hospital on duty may withdraw temporarily from a rota because of pressure on beds. In these circumstances arrangements are made with another hospital to take any further accident cases. This rota system seems to work reasonably well but certain improvements are being made. An improved and extended casualty department will be built at Jervis Street Hospital in the near future. St. Laurence's Hospital also take accident cases and it is expected that they will participate more fully in the Dublin accident arrangements when additional staff and equipment are obtained. In addition, the James Connolly Memorial Hospital has facilities for the reception and treatment of accident cases from St. Laurence's Hospital.

I thank the Minister for the comprehensive answer. Is there any confusion in the ambulance services as to where they should bring an injured person? I saw a Press report that there are times when the ambulance men do not know where to bring people. Would the Minister have a look at that?

I certainly will. I am aware that the Deputy looked for a comprehensive reply which would include the ambulance services but I took the question as it was and merely referred to the hospitals. I will look into the matter he has raised with regard to ambulances and where they should be directed. If the Deputy likes to put down a question I will answer it, but it is not likely that it would be answered for another few weeks so, with the Deputy's permission, I will write to him on the subject.

Thank you.

Is the Minister aware that the situation in Dublin at the moment is so bad that one night recently three hospitals were on call for ambulance emergency cases but there was a footnote to the instructions to the ambulance men to the effect that in the three hospitals on call there were no beds available for male or female patients.

I would prefer the Deputy to be brief with his supplementary question.

This is the situation in the emergency services in Dublin at the moment.

I agree that this matter is allied to the matter contained in the question and in the reply. I will certainly inquire into that aspect of the accident services from the point of view of the hospitals and the ambulances. The only information I have now is in regard to hospitals. Perhaps Deputy Moore could pass on the information I give him to Deputy Burke, or else I will send Deputy Burke a copy of the letter.

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