Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 1

Written Answers. - National Casemix Programme.

Billy Timmins

Question:

84 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Health and Children the hospitals which partake in the casemix system; when it was initiated; the way in which each hospital fared vis-à-vis a negative and positive casemix adjustment; if he has satisfied himself with the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7174/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

The hospitals which participate in the National Casemix Programme, and the adjustments which were applied to the 2000 determination of expenditure, are set out in the following table. The programme was initiated in 1991.

Casemix involves the monitoring and compari son of costs and activity between hospitals. Data is collected in relation to over 340,000 inpatient cases in the 31 hospitals throughout the country which participate in the programme. The system uses clinical information which is based on the actual practice of medicine in Irish hospitals to determine a small proportion of the funding of these hospitals. All funding allocated under casemix remains within the hospital system, and any funding deducted from hospitals is distributed to the other hospitals, on the basis of their positive performance under casemix. The programme is operated in an open and transparent fashion, and full details of the clinical and financial information on which casemix budget adjustments are based, is provided to all participating hospitals.

I am satisfied that the system is an extremely useful tool in the overall management of our acute hospital services and is also beneficial to clinicians and management at individual hospital level.

2000 Casemix Adjustments by Hospital

Hospital	Adjustment (£000)
Beaumont	(180,874)
Cavan General	133,456
Cork University	649,632
Regional Orthopaedic, Croom	(155,478)
Louth County, Dundalk	136,473
James Connolly Memorial	(214,654)
Letterkenny General	326,843
Limerick Regional	31,600
Longford-Westmeath (Mullingar)	7,086
Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda	(196,720)
Mallow General	(23,739)
Mater	(188,226)
Mayo General, Castlebar	230,224
Mercy, Cork	(46,030)
Merlin Park, Galway	124,043
Monaghan General	44,367
Navan General	(72,955)
Portiuncula	(84,575)
Portlaoise General	(64,611)
Sligo General	110,502
South Infirmary-Victoria	41,543
St. Columcilles, Loughlinstown	(216,559)
St. Luke's, Kilkenny	67,483
St. Mary's Orthopaedic, Cork	(138,755)
St. James's	(305,640)
St. Vincent's	(50,379)
Tralee General	(1,500)
Tullamore General	(183,409)
U.C.H Galway	239,468
Waterford Regional	(2,312)
Wexford General	(16,305)

Negative adjustments are in parentheses.