Vol. 449 No. 8
33 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself that the accident and emergency departments in Dublin hospitals are effectively able to respond to demands placed upon them in an acceptable timescale; if his attention has been drawn to public disquiet on long delays and lack of availability of beds, particularly in the Mater and Beaumont hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4510/95]
Limerick East): The accident and emergency departments of the six major hospitals in Dublin operate a 24 hour service. Because of the nature of the work, it is not possible to predict the workload of hospital accident and emergency departments at any particular time. Accordingly, delays do occur from time to time, particularly during the winter when there has tended to be an upsurge in the number of patients presenting at accident and emergency departments for treatment. At all times, however, priority is accorded to those patients most in need of immediate medical attention.
In addition, periodic increases in the number of patients requiring admission to hospital results in patients having to be placed in temporary accommodation, pending the availability of more appropriate facilities. Every effort is made to keep this practice to a minimum.
One of the principal causes of delay in placing patients in the most appropriate type of accommodation has been the shortage of suitable facilities for elderly patients who are no longer in need of acute hospital care. The shortage of more appropriate facilities results in elderly patients having to remain in acute hospitals longer than necessary consequently reducing the number of beds available for admissions through accident and emergency departments.
