asked the Minister for Health when the new children's ward at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath, will be opened; and the reason it has been closed to date.
Written Answers. - Meath Hospitals.
148.
This is a matter for the North Eastern Health Board in the first instance but the primary reason the unit has not opened is the difficulty being experienced in providing paediatric cover for the unit. It is regarded as essential that the unit should have paediatric in addition to orthopaedic cover and I understand that the health board is attempting to resolve this issue in association with the authorities at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. I cannot say at this stage when the unit will be opened.
149.
asked the Minister for Health the number of ward closures at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath, over the past year; the number of bed losses over the same period; the reduction in staff numbers by category over the same period; and the further ward, bed and staff losses, if any, which are planned by his Department and the North Eastern Health Board.
During the past year beds were closed on a temporary basis in three wards as follows: 40 beds closed from 6 July to 20 September and for two weeks at Christmas; 20 beds closed from 19 August to 7 September; 34 beds closed from 12 July to 14 September.
There is a joint staffing arrangement between Our Lady's Hospital and the Infirmary in Navan and in the past year the complement has been reduced by a total of eight as follows:
|
Reduction as a percentage of the total complement |
|
|
Nursing — Four |
2.6 |
|
Catering-Housekeeping — Three |
3.5 |
|
Administrative — Two |
7.1 |
|
Paramedical — increase of |
5.8 increase |
|
One |
It is not possible to say precisely what bed closures will occur in 1988 but as is usual for many years there will be some temporary closures of beds during the holiday periods as happened in 1987. No beds will be closed on a permanent basis and it is not anticipated that there will be any further staff reductions.
150.
asked the Minister for Health the waiting list of special X-rays and hip replacements at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath, for the past two years, in the following categories: (a) private, (b) medical card holders, and (c) others.
There are no waiting lists as such for special X-rays. All requests for special X-rays for elective patients are normally carried out within one month and emergency cases are dealt with as they arise.
The numbers of public patients on the waiting list for hip replacement operations for the past two years are as follows: 31/12/86, 202 patients including 8 from the Midland Health Board area; 31/12/87, 269 patients, including 20 from the Midland Health Board area; 29/2/88, 217 patients, including 17 from the Midland Health Board area.
The number of private patients on the waiting list is not known since this is a matter for each individual consultant. The precise number of the patients on the waiting list who are medical card holders is not known but it is estimated to be between 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the total. The Midland Health Board is now providing an orthopaedic service in its own area at Tullamore and this should result in a considerable reduction in the waiting list at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan.