asked the Minister for Health if he is concerned at the difficulty in finding residential accommodation in hospitals and homes for the aged during the recent winter, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Residental Accommodation for Aged.
38.
I have monitored carefully over recent months the position in relation to residential accommodation in hospitals and homes for elderly persons and I am satisfied that, in general, no major problems arose over and above those experienced during previous winters. On the information which is available to me, no exceptional difficulties were experienced in any health board area, apart from the North-East where the demand for beds for elderly patients was higher than usual.
The position in general is that there are available an adequate number of beds for elderly patients and any additional resources which can be made available for geriatric services should be used to strengthen the community based services which in turn should result in a lowering in the demand for admission to hospital.
Would the Minister not accept that in some health board areas the number of public health nurses has actually been reduced over the past few years and that this is creating a problem in the community services? Is the Minister not aware that, particularly during the month of February, every hospital catering for the aged found itself in difficulties, faced with pressure to admit patients whom they were not able to accommodate?
I have had a review of all the health board areas carried out in relation to the past winter and, with the exception of the North-Eastern Health board where the problem of obtaining beds for the elderly was more acute than usual this year, the health boards have reported that they were quite able to cope without much difficulty. That is the formal report I have received. I have been taking another look at the situation in the North-Eastern Health Board, which stays well within its budget.