asked the Minister for Health why hospital minibuses are not made available to outdoor hospital patients who require them during the bus strike.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Minibuses.
45.
The Eastern Health Board in normal times provide directly, or by recoupment of city hospitals, a taxi service for medical card holders attending out-patient clinics in the hospitals where, because of disability or infirmity, the patient is unable to use public transport. An extension of the service within limits has, it is understood, been effected during the period of the bus strike.
Some hospitals provide a minibus service for conveying medical card holders to physiotherapy clinics. The minibus service is needed to meet existing demands as respects those clinics.
I may add that my Department have checked with a number of general hospitals in Dublin and the position is that no significant decrease has been noted in the numbers attending out-patient clinics during the bus strike. This would indicate that in general patients are able to make their own way there.
Decreases in attendance varying from an estimated 10 per cent to an estimated 30 per cent approximately have, however, been noted in the case of the out-patient services of the Dublin maternity hospitals. I am asking the Eastern Health Board to look specially into the matter to see what can be done to improve this position.
I tabled this question as a result of individual complaints made to me. Would the Minister examine the situation because I understand that there is hardship being caused in some cases and that people are unable to attend as outdoor patients?
As I explained, a taxi service is provided in cases like that and during the bus strike it has been extended. I recognise, as the Deputy has said, that there is a big problem as far as the maternity out-patient clinics are concerned and I am in touch with the Eastern Health Board about this matter.
The Minister referred to the taxi service being provided. I take it he is aware of the problem which has arisen in regard to the provision of that taxi service because of lack of funds from the hospitals and that this matter has been brought to the attention of the Parliamentary Secretary only yesterday? Is the Minister aware of this?
Is the Deputy suggesting it is because there is a shortage of funds that they cannot provide the taxis?
Extra funds are needed because of the bus strike, over and above those budgeted for.
As far as my information goes there is no question of money.
Would the Minister couple in his sympathetic consideration the case of disabled people working in sheltered workshops who, for the last eight weeks, have found it impossible to get to their places of employment?
I explained there was an extension of the taxi service to those who could not get to these out-patient clinics easily, the elderly and the disabled. This taxi service has been extended and these people are taken into consideration.
They are being taken into consideration but the people about whom I speak are not getting the service. They are not being transported.
My information is, as far as the general hospitals are concerned, there is no problem because of transportation because the taxis are being provided. Many more are being provided, because of contracts entered into, since the bus strike began.
With the permission of the House I must pass on to the next business.
These are people working in what are described as sheltered workshops.
Have I the permission of the House to deal with the remaining questions to the Minister for Health?
I want to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 6 which appeared on last Thursday's Order Paper?
I will communicate with Deputy Timmons on the matter.