Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.
Brian O'Shea
Question:
209
Mr. O'Shea
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the proposals, if any, he has to address the concerns of persons (details supplied) in County Waterford regarding the number of hospital beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20300/99]
In considering the delivery of service in the acute hospital sector, it is appropriate to examine the overall level of service provided in the sector rather than to simply focus on the number of beds available at any given time. This reflects major changes that have been taking place in medical practice, resulting in reduced average in-patient lengths of stay, a continuing shift in the delivery of care from an in-patient to day case basis and the increasing provision of treatment at out-patient level.
In developing and delivering service plans, the implementation of an appropriate mix between in-patient, day case and out-patient care is a major consideration for local management in seeking to maximise overall activity. As part of this process, activity in the acute hospital sector is planned over a twelve month period having regard to anticipated levels of emergency admissions and the overall resources available. In achieving the activity targets set out in the annual service plan, temporary bed closures would form a part of the normal bed management function performed by local management as part of their efforts to optimise the overall activity delivered within the resources available. They also, of course, facilitate staff annual leave, refurbishment works and the scaling down of elective activity at times of low demand such as the high summer period and at Christmas.
The total discharges, both in-patient and day case, in the acute hospital system for the period January to December 1998 was 809,099. At out-patient level, the figures show that 1,960,126 attendances were recorded in that period. This huge volume of overall activity represented an increase of 3 per cent over 1997 levels. In particular, the level of hospital care being provided on a day case basis showed a very significant increase, up over 8 per cent in 1998 over 1997 levels. The increasing delivery of care at this level reflects trends in modern medical practice and is indicative of a service that is increasingly focusing resources in a manner that is best suited to the needs of the public.
As the Deputy will be aware, the overall range of medical and surgical services available at Waterford Regional Hospital has been greatly expanded over recent years. New regional specialities of dermatology, nephrology, rheumatology, vascular surgery and oncology have been established there and a trauma orthopaedic service has also been developed on site. These developments have been made possible by an increase of over £11 million in revenue funding for the hospital in the last three years and by the completion of major phased capital works on the site at a total cost of some £65 million. My Department is continuing to work with the South-Eastern Health Board management in identifying and addressing priorities for the ongoing development of services at the hospital in the context of available funding.
