The Mater Misericordia Hospital perform adult cardiac surgery procedures of the nature referred to by the Deputy and paediatric cases are treated at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.
As at 7 March 2000 there were 78 public patients waiting over three months for such treatment in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children.
Our Lady's Hospital has a total of 14 intensive care beds of which 11 are in use. The remaining three beds are closed due to a shortage of appropriate nursing staff. There are five operating theatres in this hospital and all are operational. The development of the theatres at the hospital is under way. When completed the new theatre development will provide five new operating theatres complete with ancillary accommodation, a day surgery area and a central sterile supplies department. The existing theatre facilities will also be upgraded to provide a further two theatre suites. When these theatres are fully commissioned it is expected that Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children will be in a position to perform an additional 100 paediatric cardiac procedures per annum, which is an increase of 40% on its existing capacity.
There are 499.5 whole time equivalent – w.t.e – nursing positions at the hospital. As nurses may be assigned to more than one specialty-duty it is not possible to provide a breakdown of the number of nurses specifically engaged in cardiology-cardiac services.
The total number of nurses and surgeons employed in the hospital for the years 1995, 1996, 1997 , 1998 and 1999 are outlined as follows: