Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Oct 1992

Vol. 423 No. 1

Written Answers. - Psychiatric Services Expenditure.

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

279 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Health (1) the total expenditure on psychiatric services, broken down by health boards, in the years (a) 1980 (b) 1985 (c) 1990 and (d) 1991, (2) the total expenditure on psychiatric services, by health boards in these same years as a percentage of that health board's total expenditure, (3) the number of psychiatric nurses employed in these same years broken down by health board and (4) if, in the case of services previously delivered through the psychiatric programme which have now been transferred to other headings, the level of expenditure on those services has been maintained through transfer of resources to new programmes.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Connell)

The information requested by the Deputy and, as provided to me by individual boards, is as follows:

	1980	1985	1990	1991
Eastern Health Board
1. Total Expenditure Psychiatric Services (£M)	31.809	57.566	66.636	74.392
2. % of Health Board Expenditure	28.74%	27.91%	28.69%	28.10%
3. Number of Psychiatric Nurses Employed	1,155	1,531	1,299	1,303
Midland Health Board
1. Total Expenditure Psychiatric Services (£M)	9.191	13.467	10.592	11.527
2. % of Health Board Expenditure	25.86%	22.89%	17.13%	16.63%
3. Number of Psychiatric Nurses Employed	609	562	337	340
Mid-Western Health Board
1. Total Expenditure Psychiatric Services (£M)	9.095	14.090	15.825	17.404
2. % of Health Board Expenditure	16.25%	17.75%	16.74%	16.44%
3. Number of Psychiatric Nurses Employed	654	624	451	474
North Eastern Health Board
1. Total Expenditure Psychiatric Services (£M)	5.897	9.784	10.547	12.420
2. % of Health Board Expenditure	15.57%	13.97%	14.41%	15.22%
3. Number of Psychiatric Nurses Employed	366	284	309	329
North Western Health Board
1. Total Expenditure Psychiatric Services (£M)	8.893	14.416	10.873	11,736
2. % of Health Board Expenditure	20%	17%	12%	12%
3. Number of Psychiatric Nurses Employed	560	583	327	340
South Eastern Health Board
1. Total Expenditure Psychiatric Services (£M)	13.270	20.797	21.790	23.164
2. % of Health Board Expenditure	2.5%	21.0%	18.4%	17.7%
3. Number of Psychiatric Nurses Employed	845	878	750	753
Southern Health Board
1. Total Expenditure Psychiatric Services (£M)	19.301	27.957	28.125	31.309
2. % of Health Board Expenditure	19.59%	17.83%	16.86%	17.11%
3. Number of Psychiatric Nurses Employed	930	890	830	816
Western Health Board
1. Total Expenditure Psychiatric Services (£M)	16.435	24.804	26.604	29.961
2. % of Health Board Expenditure	21%	19%	19%	19%
3. Number of Psychiatric Nurses Employed	1,024	934	776	779

A number of services previously delivered through the psychiatric programme have been transferred to other programmes in the period referred to. Persons with mental handicap have been transferred from psychiatric hospitals to mental handicap centres under the community care or mental handicap services. Many elderly patients have been transferred from psychiatric hospitals to more suitable accommodation in homes for the elderly. A number of acute psychiatric units have opened in general hospitals to replace admission facilities in the psychiatric hospitals. In all cases, the level of expenditure on those services has been maintained, and indeed enhanced, through transfer of resources to the new programmes.