Vol. 505 No. 5
44 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether it is more economical to send dialysis patients to Dublin for weekly treatment rather than employ additional staff at Waterford Regional Hospital; the financial projections, if any, available on the comparative costs involved taking into account the human suffering involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13985/99]
102 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children the weekly cost of having 11 dialysis patients from the south-east region receiving treatment at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, the Mater Hospital, Dublin, and University College Hospital, Cork; the cost of having these patients catered for at Waterford Regional Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14160/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 102 together.
The provision of renal dialysis at Waterford Regional Hospital is a matter for the South-Eastern Health Board in the first instance. A new dialysis unit was opened there in March 1997, catering for 32 patients per week as part of the major capital development at the hospital. In 1998 I approved additional funding of £200,000 to enable the hospital to provide a service to further patients that required dialysis as demand for the service grew. As a result, a total of 42 patients are now attending the unit each week.
I understand from the South-Eastern Health Board that the cost of sending 11 patients outside the board's area for dialysis would amount to £222,900 per annum. Figures previously supplied by the board indicate that the cost of providing dialysis services for 12 additional patients at Waterford Regional Hospital would be almost £490,000.
