Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 Dec 1998

Vol. 497 No. 7

Written Answers - Hospital Services.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

135 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 106 of 8 October 1998, the responses, if any, he had to his enquiries in relation to waiting times in the main casualty hospitals in the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26182/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

My Department has received responses in relation to average waiting times in accident and emergency and out patients departments from a majority of the acute hospitals in the Dublin region who provide such services. I am confident therefore, that I will be in a position to provide the information requested by the Deputy in the very near future.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

136 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he has to allow those who have been referred by their general practitioner to a casualty department of a hospital to have a shorter waiting period to ensure less pressure on overcrowded casualty departments in view of his Department's cam paign to visit general practitioners first. [26183/98]

Gay Mitchell

Question:

143 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he has to allow for privately run casualty or accident departments to be located within the precincts of any of our major hospitals in view of the fact that it can take at least 12 hours before seeing a doctor and even at the proposed minimum wage rate this is an economic cost of over £50; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26229/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 143 together.

All patients attending at accident and emer gency departments of acute hospitals, including those referred by their general practitioners, are examined and prioritised for treatment in accord ance with their medically assessed needs. The Deputy will appreciate that the levels of attend ance at accident and emergency departments are complex and difficult to predict and in this regard periods of exceptional demand may be experienced and as a consequence waiting periods for treatment may vary. Every effort is made to keep waiting times to an absolute minimum and it is important to note that patients received appropri ate medical treatment at all times.

My Department is not considering any pro posals concerning private accident and emer gency units but are concentrating on enhancing the service provided in accident and emergency departments in acute general hospitals. As the Deputy may be aware, I am providing additional funding of £2 million to be made available in 1999 for accident and emergency services in major acute hospitals including those based in paedi atric hospitals. This extra funding will enable the hospitals to implement various initiatives in keep ing with the recommendations of the review group on the waiting list initiative. These initiat ives include measures to free up beds for emer gency admissions through the provision, where appropriate, of alternative step down facilities for patients occupying beds in acute hospitals for lengthy periods. It will also allow for the pro vision of enhanced staffing levels, the develop ment of rapid diagnostic systems for common emergency presentations, continued development of treatment-observation areas in accident and emergency departments and an improved access for general practitioners to urgent specialist opinion.

I am confident that these measures will provide an improved service for all patients attending accident and emergency departments.