asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to deal with the situation in the Meath Hospital, Dublin 8 (1) where patients are being admitted from casualty and kept on trolleys from two to three days (2) where female patients are, from time to time, being admitted to male wards and (3) where there is no outpatient physiotherapy facilities for the follow up treatment of inpatients and outpatients.
Written Answers. - Dublin Hospital Facilities.
260.
The Deputy will be aware that the Accident and Emergency Department and some orthopaedic services transferred from Dr. Steevens' Hospital to the Meath Hospital last year. I am aware of difficulties in the Meath Hospital which are of a temporary nature. As a result of the transfer of the Accident and Emergency Department provision was made for the urgent upgrading of this Department, the provision of one additional theatre and piped medical gases and the upgrading of theatre preparation and recovery facilities. This work is now complete and plans to upgrade the other facilities are at an advanced stage and work will be completed in the next few months.
The hospital authorities are also in the process of opening more beds which I am confident will greatly relieve pressure on admissions. I am having inquiries made at present to see what can be done in the interim pending implementation of the measures mentioned above.