Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Apr 1995

Vol. 451 No. 7

Written Answers. - County Wexford Hospital.

John Browne

Question:

43 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for Health the reason the staffing levels at St. John's Hospital, Enniscorthy, County Wexford, are well below the levels required; and the plans, if any, he has to appoint extra staff to the hospital. [5353/95]

Hugh Byrne

Question:

69 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to address the concerns of nursing staff in relation to nursing staff levels at a hospital (details supplied) in County Wexford; if he will respond to the claims of the local branch of the Irish Nurses' Organisation that the ratio of nurses to patients at night is 1:50; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5415/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 69 together.

The provision of services including the deployment of staff at the hospital referred to by the Deputy are a matter for the South-Eastern Health Board from within the financial and other resources made available for the provision of services in the board's area.

The board has indicated that it is currently in discussions with the Irish Nurses' Organisation on nurse staffing levels at the hospital and that the board has proposed an increase of two posts for which funding has already been made available. This proposal is now subject to a ballot of members of the Irish Nurses' Organisation, the result of which is awaited.

The board is satisfied that staffing levels in other staff categories at the hospital are adequate.

It is recognised that some of the long-stay accommodation for very dependent elderly people is in need of refurbishment. In the recently published health strategy, one of the priorities in relation to older people over the next four years will be the provision of additional places for convalescent care for elderly people who do not need acute medical care and the building of eight small scale nursing units in the community to replace unsuitable accommodation and to meet the needs of the expanding population of older people.

I might add that the introduction of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990 has provided the health boards with another option in meeting the needs of dependent elderly locally and flexibly. Since the Act came into effect on 1 September 1993 a total of almost £31 million has been made available to fund subventions under the Act.