asked the Minister for Health when it is proposed to commence building the new hospital in Wexford; and the reason no paediatrician has been appointed there.
18.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Wexford Hospital.
2.
asked the Minister for Health when he intends to appoint a paediatrician to Wexford County Hospital.
44.
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the deplorable condition of the surgical wing of Wexford General Hospital; the proposals, if any, he has for commencing work on the new surgical wing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2, 18 and 44 together. I am aware of the fact that the standard of accommodation in the surgical unit at Wexford General Hospital is unsatisfactory. The provision of a new surgical unit together with ancillary facilities such as X-ray, out patients and accident and emergency departments, are at an advanced stage of planning. This project will proceed to construction stage as soon as capital resources can be made available for this purpose. I cannot yet say when it will be possible to do this and, in the circumstances, it is not yet possible to be precise about the starting date for the project.
With regard to the appointment of a paediatrician at this hospital, the estimated cost of this appointment together with the necessary support staff is of the order of £230,000 a year. The capital cost of providing and equipping accommodation must be added to this. In the present difficult budgetary situation, I am not in a position to make extra funds of this order available to the South-Eastern Health Board. However, I have indicated to the board that I am willing to consider any proposals which they may have for the redeployment of resources within their allocation to provide a paediatric service in Wexford.
At present, paediatric services for Wexford are provided from the regional paediatric unit at Ardkeen in Wexford.
Is the Minister fully aware of the position at the surgical hospital in Wexford and that, it has been claimed, the theatre there resembles something from the stone age? Is the Minister aware that the orderlies still carry patients to and from the theatre up two flights of stairs on a stretcher made from canvas and two poles? In view of those outdated facilities does the Minister agree that the new hospital should be built immediately, as proposed in 1982 when money was provided?
I agree that there is a need to reconstruct the hospital. I gave the go-ahead for the site development and the contract was awarded in July 1983. That work is now complete but the total work involved will cost £9 million. I am currently examining the 1986-87 capital programme of the Department to see how we may facilitate the development but at this stage no final decision has been taken in the matter.
Will the Minister accept that with over 1,500 deliveries per year in Wexford Hospital it is deplorable that a paediatrician has not been appointed? Will he agree that it is a short-sighted policy not to provide the money having regard to the need for a paediatrician bearing in mind what such a person could do to ensure healthy infants?
There are 400 people employed in Wexford Hospital.
There is no paediatrician.
That figure applies to the beginning of 1984. The proposal now for the paediatric unit, which I have some doubts about, is to appoint an additional 12 staff nurses and three senior house officers at a cost of £250,000 per year. That proposal was put forward by the health board. There will also be some capital cost involved because the female ward will have to be adapted to paediatric use. I have suggested to the health board that they should come forward with a proposal to redeploy resources and, possibly, a lesser requirement than 12 staff nurses for the unit. I am not certain that they require three senior house officers for such a unit. Paediatric services are being provided at the Ardkeen paediatric unit.
Is it a fact that the capital requirements for the paediatric unit could be incorporated in the capital requirements for the extension to the operating theatre and the surgical unit? Is the Minister aware that for the last five years in the surgical theatre in Wexford two temporary anaesthetists have operated because no permanent Irish staff member is prepared to work under such atrocious conditions? As a result of that we have to employ foreign anaesthetists who are not registered to provide the facilities.
There are three consultant anaesthetists in that hospital.
There are two temporary anaesthetists.
The whole time equivalent is two and for a hospital with 66 surgical beds that is not unreasonable.
The Minister has not answered my question. I will put my question slowly because it is obvious the Minister has difficulty in understanding me. Is it a fact that since 1979 the operating theatre in Wexford has functioned with two foreign temporary anaesthetists for the simple reason that no qualified Irish person is prepared to work under the atrocious conditions that exist there?
I am not so sure about that. I readily concede that the general conditions in the theatre are not satisfactory and that has been the position for a long time. I am endeavouring to deal with it but I must point out that there are three anaesthetists — two whole time equivalents — and two surgeons in the hospital together with a consultant radiologist, two consultant physicians and two obstetrician gynaecologists. In fact, there is an orthopaedic surgeon in the hospital. I would not downgrade the hospital that much if that is what the Deputy is preoccupied about. There are 12 house officers in the hospital, including two locums. I am satisfied that the priority in the hospital now is to go ahead with the construction of the hospital as quickly as possible. I can assure Deputies Byrne and Ormonde that I regard it as a major priority. Wexford and Ardkeen are the two major priorities, now that Castlebar is under way.
A final supplementary.
What about Sligo?
In relative terms, Wexford would be more deserving than Sligo.
And Ardkeen.
We cannot go through all the hospitals in the country. A final supplementary from Deputy Byrne.
It seems that the Minister is not convinced about the necessity for a new hospital. It appears also that he is not concerned about the people of Wexford.
That is not a question.
Will he fulfil the promise made before the local elections this year, that he would visit Wexford? Secondly, will he tell us when the decision on the hospital will be taken?
I visit hospitals only when there is a necessity to do so.
It seemed that there was a necessity before the local elections.
I only do so when I have something useful to convey. I am not one of those touring Ministers, like my predecessors.
The Minister has not done badly, all the same.
As soon as I have the situation clarified regarding Wexford I shall be the first to visit it.