asked the Minister for Health if the Sacred Heart Hospital, Ballinderry, Mullingar, County West-meath, receives an allocation from public funds; if it is intended to increase the allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Westmeath Hospital.
676.
The Sacred Heart Hospital, Ballinderry, is a private hospital and as such it does not receive any direct allocation from public funds. However, the hospital is approved under section 54 of the Health Act, 1970, in respect of 40 long-stay geriatric beds. This enables health boards to pay a subvention of £4.50 per day towards the costs incurred by private long-stay patients at this hospital.
The Midland Health Board have an arrangement with the authorities of the Sacred Heart Hospital whereby it makes a block payment to the hospital for 25 medical beds which are used for eligible patients. A special rate is also paid by the board in respect of patients accommodated in the Sacred Heart Hospital who are on the waiting list for admission to St. Mary's Geriatric Hospital, Mullingar.
All these rates of payment are increased from time to time, usually on an annual basis, and it is not intended that any other allocations or payments will be made to the hospital.