Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 1990

Vol. 394 No. 8

Written Answers. - Hospital Admissions Beds.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

87 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health the number of persons admitted to Dublin hospitals during the months of November and December of 1989 suffering from chest complaints; the number of beds which were available for admittance of patients for scheduled but non-emergency medical procedures and surgical procedures at this time; and the number of beds which were used for emergency admittances, hospital by hospital (a) during this period and (b) for the same period in 1988.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

91 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the present estimated requirement of acute long-stay general hospital beds for the Eastern Health Board area; the number available at present; whether this is sufficient to meet any emergency or epidemic that might arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 91 together.

It is estimated that the requirement for acute consultant staffed general hospital beds in the Eastern Health Board area is around 4,600 while there are currently over 5,000 beds open in that area. On the basis of the recommendations of the report of the Working Party on Services for the Elderly, The Years Ahead — A Policy for the Elderly there is a need for approximately 3,615 extended care and welfare beds in the Eastern Health Board area and the bed provision in public and voluntary facilities is around 3,700.

I am satisfied that this level of bed provision, coupled with available places in the private nursing home sector is adequate to meet any emergency or epidemic that could reasonably be contemplated. Indeed, the excellent manner in which the health service and its staff have coped with the exceptional level of serious illness in recent months has shown this. Local management in health boards and public voluntary hospitals have had whatever flexibility is required to deal with the problem. Hospitals have given absolute priority to emergency cases and in order to ensure that every person who requires admission can be accommodated additional beds have been opened and non-urgent admissions postponed.

A study is under way to establish the medical conditions of those admitted to the Dublin accident and emergency hospitals during this period and the effect of emergency admission on bed availability. The full information sought by Deputy Garland in relation to the number of admissions of persons suffering from chest complaints will not be available until it is possible to analyse the hospital in-patient inquiry data for the period in question. However, a study conducted during part of the period concerned indicated that around 30 per cent of admissions through the accident and emergency service in Dublin were respiratory.

The data in relation to bed numbers are not readily available in the form requested by the Deputy. However, an indication of the bed situation in the Dublin hospitals is as follows:

Hospital	Beds in use 1988	Beds in use 1989	Beds in use Dec 89/Jan 90	Additional beds to cope with increase in illness
Mater	392	450	530	80
Beaumont	594	592	622	30
James Connolly Memorial	199	230	239	9
St. Vincent's	380	439	490	51
St. James's	395	424	458	34
Meath	213	234	264	30

Admissions from accidents and emergency departments in Dublin hospitals were as follows during the period 1 December 1989 to 21 January 1990:

Week ending	17/12/89	24/12/89	31/12/89	7/1/90	14/1/90	21/1/90
Mater	245	210	246	229	217	186
Beaumont	244	216	301	213	178	187
James Connolly Memorial	104	109	89	103	60	63
St. Vincent's	169	166	176	182	172	179
St. James's	191	245	210	165	141	119
Meath	105	124	115	107	104	91
	1,058	1,070	1,137	999	872	825