asked the Minister for Health when it is intended to provide a 24-hour accident service for the Ballymun and Poppintree area at the Eastern Health Board clinic in Ballymun, Dublin, in view of the fact that it is necessary to attend Temple Street Hospital for minor accidents.
Written Answers. - Dublin Accident Service.
670.
The provision of an accident service in the health board clinic in Ballymun for the Ballymun and Poppintree areas is a matter for the Eastern Health Board in the first instance and I have had no such proposal from the board. An effective 24-hour accident service requires the provision of medical, nursing and paramedical staff together with specialised medical equipment and the ready availability of hospital beds. It is, therefore, in the best interests of patients that the accident service is based at the general hospitals. Patients with minor injuries should attend their general practitioner for treatment.