Adjournment Debate. - Temple Street (Dublin) Children's Hospital. – Dáil Éireann (26th Dáil) – Thursday, 25 Jun 1992

Adjournment Debate. - Temple Street (Dublin) Children's Hospital.

Dr. Lee

I wish to highlight a vicious attack on the most vulnerable section of the community, our children, the future lifeblood of the country and tomorrow's citizens. All general medical and surgical outpatients' clinics have been callously cancelled by the board of management of Temple Street Hospital for two weeks in July and two weeks in August. In addition there will be a 10 per cent reduction of hospital beds for a period in excess of one month, all in the name of financial cutbacks in the area of child medi-care. The Minister is responsible, as the buck stops with him.

I demand that the Minister for Health, a fellow general practitioner, should provide proper and adequate finance for the health care of our children on the north side of Dublin and stop this madness. It is my duty, as an elected representative, as a concerned parent and as a practising family doctor, to point out that, as a result of this uncaring and unchristian attitude by the Minister, there will be a delay in early diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases which, as the Minister knows, is often vital in the prevention and treatment of children's disorders. Because of pressures on beds there will be early discharge of patients from overcrowded wards in Temple Street. In many cases there will be early readmission of these patients for further treatment, as the community services, despite what the Minister's Department say, cannot and in many cases are not fully equipped to properly look after patients who were discharged early.

There will be an increase in absenteeism from work as parents will have to take time off to look after sick children who have not fully recovered, physically or mentally, from the ordeal of investigations and treatment. What price does the Minister put on the mental anguish of concerned parents?

The casualty department of Temple Street is the busiest in Europe, catering for approximately 60,000 consultations per year. It will come under further pressure because of these draconian measures. Sick children will be turned away and sent to other casualty departments on the south side of the city. I should point out that Temple Street caters not only for the northside but also for the sick children of north County Dublin, County Meath, County Louth, County Westmeath, County Cavan and sometimes County Monaghan. It has a catchment area of 300,000 to 400,000 children.

The casualty department in Temple Street Hospital has an eight-bedded observation ward where patients are observed for a deterioration in their condition, for example, in relation to head injuries, asthma and epileptic attacks and acute abdominal pains. In addition, from 12 midnight to 8 a.m. only one fully trained nurse and one student nurse are on duty in the casualty department.

These two overworked nurses must not alone look after the observation ward but also deal with routine casualty patients, which is an impossible and intolerable situation.

I do not apologise to anybody for highlighting serious deficiencies and shortcomings in the area of child medi-care. Under the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrat Coalition Government we have seen the evolution of a two-tier health system. Those who can afford VHI can avail of high-tech, ultra-modern treatment but others are reduced to the status of second and third class citizens. If you do not have money you simply wait for treatment.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Connell)

While I acknowledge the Deputy's right to raise this issue I am concerned at his alarmist statements. The Deputy is being irresponsible in this regard because he is creating fear, concern and anxiety among the many families using the hospital. As a medical doctor he must surely know — if he ever worked in a hospital — that there is always a rundown of services in every hospital at certain times of the year to enable staff to take holidays. However, I should like to reassure the public and set the record straight.

The Children's Hospital, Temple Street, will close some of its out-patient clinics for the first two weeks in July and for the first two weeks in August of this year. The hospital will also close 13 of its 136 beds for the summer period. These relatively small restrictions are all seasonal and similar arrangements were made by the hospital last year and, indeed, in 1989. The demand for beds is generally at its lowest during these summer months. It certainly makes economic sense to restrict the service slightly during periods when the demand is at its lowest.

I would like to assure the House that all emergency services provided by the hospital will be kept in place during the summer and, of course, the casualty department, which is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, will remain open during the entire period. Cases which must be seen because of medical emergency will, of course, continue to be dealt with as part of the hospital's emergency service arrangements. I realise, of course, that the casualty department at the Children's Hospital, Temple Street, is one of the busiest casualty departments in Ireland and treats approximately 57,000 patients per year. This will not be affected at all.

During the period January-May, casualty attendances have, in fact, risen from 21,264 in 1991 to 24,127 in the same period in 1992.

The hospital authorities have informed me despite Deputy Lee's irresponsible statements, that the fracture clinics, the opthalmic clinics, the metabolic clinics and the oncology clinics will all remain open during the summer period.

The activity undertaken by the Children's Hospital, Temple Street, has actually increased this year over the same period last year. Total activity is up by 9 per cent, and this means that a total of 377 additional cases have been seen this year. It is, therefore, quite untrue and irresponsible to talk in terms of a "vicious attack" on children. I hope I have clarified the position sufficiently to show that a relatively minor reduction in services is all that has been made at the hospital.

With regard to Deputy Lee's remark that there are no community services available, I trust he is providing this medical service within the community and, if not, it is a damning indictment of himself.

Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jun 1992