asked the Minister for Health the percentage of GNP allocated to the health services since 1970 and the estimated percentage for 1977.
Written Answers. - Health Services.
320.
The information is set out in the following table:
Non-capital health expenditure expressed as a percentage of gross national product at current market prices.
|
Year |
Percentage |
|
1970-71 |
4.35 |
|
1971-72 |
4.54 |
|
1972-73 |
4.74 |
|
1973-74 |
5.21 |
|
1974 (9 months) |
6.00 |
|
1975 |
6.58 |
|
1976 |
6.12 |
|
1977 (estimated) |
6.08 |
321.
asked the Minister for Health the total estimated cost of the proposed new hospitals at Tallaght and at Beaumont, Dublin; and if any capital allocation has been made in respect of these projects.
The estimated cost of building Beaumont Hospital is £14 million.
The Beaumont hospital project is being undertaken, as part of the Government's job creation programme, and the necessary funds for the project are being made available under this programme.
Planning of the proposed new hospital at Tallaght is at a preliminary stage and it is not possible to indicate now the estimated cost of the project. The allocation of capital moneys for the hospital will be made when this is necessary.
322.
asked the Minister for Health the total number of beds available in each health board area for (a) psychiatric, (b) young mentally handicapped, (c) adult mentally handicapped, and (d) geriatric patients, together with an assessment of the estimated required places in each category in each health board area.
The particulars are as follows:
(a) Psychiatric:
The number of beds in health board psychiatric hospitals varies according to need. The beds occupied in each health board area on 31st December last were as follows, which met the required needs.
|
Eastern Health Board |
2,478 |
|
North Eastern Health Board |
841 |
|
South Eastern Health Board |
2,206 |
|
Midland Health Board |
1,400 |
|
North Western Health Board |
1,210 |
|
Western Health Board |
2,394 |
|
Mid-Western Health Board |
1,393 |
|
Southern Health Board |
1,486 |
|
13,408 |
(b) and (c) Mentally Handicapped:
The following is a list of the total number of special residential places for the mentally handicapped, under and over 16 years of age, located in each health Board area:
|
Health Board Area |
Number of Places |
Total |
|
|
Children |
Adults |
||
|
Eastern |
864 |
1,320 |
2,184 |
|
Midland |
154 |
48 |
202 |
|
Mid-Western |
302 |
99 |
401 |
|
North Eastern |
103 |
249 |
352 |
|
North Western |
166 |
147 |
313 |
|
South Eastern |
171 |
189 |
360 |
|
Southern |
595 |
241 |
836 |
|
Western |
188 |
164 |
352 |
|
2,543 |
2,457 |
5,000 |
Generally speaking admissions to these places are not exclusively from the health board area in which the residential centre is located.
The exact number of residential places needed for the mentally handicapped in each health board area is not known. At present a detailed examination of the census of the mentally handicapped, 1974, is being carried out by a special working group with a view to establishing the extent of the services required, now and in the future.
(d) Geriatric:
|
Health Board |
* Present number of Geriatric beds (including beds for old people in private homes) |
† Number of beds recommended in care of the Aged Report (1968) including Assessment Beds. |
|
Eastern |
3,668 |
3,368 |
|
Midland |
812 |
837 |
|
Mid-Western |
1,700 |
1,252 |
|
North Eastern |
1,134 |
1,110 |
|
North Western |
945 |
1,114 |
|
South Eastern |
1,656 |
1,525 |
|
Southern |
1,935 |
2,179 |
|
Western |
1,481 |
1,774 |
|
Totals |
13,331 |
13,159 |
NOTES:
* There are 313 geriatric assessment beds in addition to the numbers shown in column 1 above. There are also approximately 750 district hospital beds which are mainly used for long-stay geriatric patients. This would give a gross total of 14,394 beds available.
† The bed numbers recommended in this report are based on a ratio of approximately 40 beds per 1,000 of the population aged 65 years and over of which 4.5 are Assessment, 15 long-stay and 20 welfare beds. These ratios are being reviewed in the Department at present.