Vol. 450 No. 3
88 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Health, in view of the case of a person (details supplied), his views on whether it would be more practicable to transfer patients to other hospitals in the area if the hospital on call is experiencing difficulties in dealing with all emergency patients, particularly during the winter months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5186/95]
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 increase in the number of patients presenting at accident and emergency units 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. I am informed that in this particular case the patient was placed on a standard accident and emergency trolley. I can assure the Deputy that every effort is made to keep this practice to a minimum.
The arrangements whereby hospitals were "on call" on a rota basis finished on 31 December 1991 when all six major Dublin hospitals were given the necessary resources to provide a 24 hour accident and emergency service. Generally, the six accident and emergency hospitals in Dublin can cater for the number of people who present for treatment. However, 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.
As an immediate response to this problem, I have recently provided £850,000 to the Eastern Health Board to provide additional alternative accommodation for patients in acute hospitals, who no longer require acute care. Placing such patients in accommodation more appropriate to their needs eases the pressure on the acute hospitals and reduces the delays in admitting patients to hospital.
