Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Jun 1995

Vol. 455 No. 1

Written Answers. - Kilkenny Geriatric Hospital.

Liam Aylward

Question:

71 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has for the provision of a geriatric hospital in Kilkenny; the decision, if any, which has been made to allocate funds for such a hospital in Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Limerick East): In the first instance, the provision of long stay accommodation for the elderly in Kilkenny is a matter for the South-Eastern Health Board.

The South-Eastern Health Board currently provides 134 long stay beds in St. Columba's Hospital in Thomastown, County Kilkenny. There is also a 20 bed assessment-rehabilitation unit in St. Columba's. The board informs me that it is satisfied with the current number of long stay beds for the elderly in Kilkenny. I might add that there are five nursing homes in Kilkenny with a capacity of 130 beds.

Liam Aylward

Question:

72 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has for the provision and retention of elective orthopaedic services in Kilkenny; the plans, if any, he has for the involvement of the existing orthopaedic hospital at Kilcreen, County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11818/95]

Limerick East): A major review of orthopaedic services in the south-east region was undertaken by a joint Department of Health/Comhairle na nOspidéal Review Group during 1991-92. The main impetus for the review was the general level of dissatisfaction at the organisation of orthopaedic services in the region. Waiting lists for elective orthopaedic surgery were growing because of the volume of trauma cases being dealt with in Lourdes Orthopaedic Hospital, Kilcreene. It had been envisaged that Kilcreene would be solely an elective orthopaedic hospital but for a variety of reasons the situation had developed to one where approximately 60 per cent of the workload being performed there was trauma. The review was undertaken to advise the South-Eastern Health Board on the organisation of orthopaedic services for the region in the most effective and efficient manner.

The main recommendations were as follows:—

—that in the best interests of patient care, elective orthopaedics in the South-Eastern Health Board region should be centralised in Waterford Regional Hospital. As the building programme is completed at Waterford Regional Hospital and as finances permit, the hospital should be staffed appropriately to meet the regional role envisaged for it.
—that the best interests of patient care would also be served by all major orthopaedic trauma in the south-eastern region being transported directly to Waterford Regional Hospital where the patients would be managed by a team of orthopaedic surgeons to be based there.
—that the centralisation of both elective and major orthopaedic trauma at Waterford Regional Hospital would facilitate the development of a centre of excellence of orthopaedic practice in the south-east. The Review Group envisaged that the centre would be staffed by six orthopaedic surgeons. A centralised orthopaedic service would provide a 24 hour service for major orthopaedic trauma producing a higher standard of care than existed previously. A higher standard of orthopaedic surgery, and consequently patient care, would result in a larger throughput of patients requiring regular practice of a wider spectrum of orthopaedic skills.
—that regular and frequent consultant orthopaedic input should be made to each of the three general hospitals (St. Luke's, Kilkenny, Wexford General Hospital and Our Lady's Hospital, Cashel) by the consultant orthopaedic staff based at Waterford.
—that a reorganisation of the ambulance service should take place. This reorganisation should have, as a major objective, the minimisation of additional travel impositions on patients as well as the efficient transporting of trauma cases from the scene of accidents to the regional centre.
—that the implementation of the review group's recommendations required the designation of about 60 beds for orthopaedic trauma from within the total bed complement of Waterford Regional Hospital.
—that the transfer of elective orthopaedics from Kilcreene Hospital to Waterford would require the provision of additional facilities. Pending the emergence of such facilities, it envisaged that all elective orthopaedics for the region would continue at Kilcreene Hospital.
—that the medical benefits to patients and the economic advantages in centralising orthopaedic services outweigh the disadvantages. The review group was convinced that the opportunity existed to dramatically improve the orthopaedic service for the people of the south-east by centralising both the trauma and elective services in Waterford Regional Hospital.
The report of the Review Group was discussed at the General Hospital Programme Committee of the South Eastern Health Board and subsequently at the board meeting on 11 February 1993, where a full discussion on all the issues took place. The South-Eastern Health Board decided that the treatment of major orthopaedic trauma cases should be centralised at Waterford Regional Hospital. In parallel with this, a decision was also taken that elective orthopaedic cases should continue to be performed at Kilcreene Hospital.
The implementation of the decisions made by the South-Eastern Health Board in relation to the reorganisation was completed in late 1994 with the centralisation of major orthopaedic trauma cases at Waterford Regional Hospital. I understand from the South-Eastern Health Board that the improvement in the service has resulted in patients seeking orthopaedic services within the region who would in the past have travelled outside, mainly to Dublin.
I recently met the South-Eastern Health Board regarding Kilcreene Orthopaedic Services and I am now awaiting proposals from the board for any further developments at Kilcreene Hospital.
There are no plans in my Department to close Kilcreene and I am satisfied that the hospital will continue to discharge a very important role in the delivery of hospital services in the south-east region.
Top
Share