Limerick East): The hospital service has encountered problems in the provision of accident and emergency services, particularly during the winter, in the past number of years. The winter period brings its own set of problems, particularly for our elderly population. This is not a problem confined to Ireland but is a feature in other developed countries also. The causes of the problems which arise have been well documented.
The Mater and Beaumont Hospitals provide a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, all-year-round accident and emergency service. A total of two accident and emergency consultants, six registrars and 19 house officers work in the two accident and emergency departments. These doctors are assigned exclusively to the accident and emergency service and do not work in other parts of either hospital. Account is taken of the needs of patients for efficient and effective accident and emergency cover when shifts are being drawn up. While activity winds down in some areas of a hospital over the Chrisrmas period, both the Mater and Beaumont Hospitals have assured me that this is not the case in the provision of the accident and emergency service.
The methods of operation in accident and emergency departments is to accord priority to those most in need. In the normal course, this means that those with less serious complaints have to wait, from time to time, while higher priority cases are being treated. Experience in the provision of accident and emergency services has shown that a significant number of those who attend could be treated as effectively and far quicker by their family doctor. This is why the current public education campaign on the appropriate use of accident and emergency departments was launched. The thrust behind the campaign is to keep accident and emergency departments clear for real emergencies.
