Bernard Allen
Question:214 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of public and private beds in each of the health board hospital on 1 January in each of the years from 1997 to date. [13590/00]
Written Answers. - Hospital Services.
Bernard Allen
Question:215 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will have investigations made into the reason health boards are designating more beds as private so as to generate further income at the expense of public patients. [13591/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together.
Under eligibility arrangements which were introduced in 1991, beds in public hospitals are formally designated as public, private or non-designated. The Health Service (In-Patient) Regulations, 1991, which were introduced pursuant to the Health (Amendment) Act, 1991, state that a hospital providing services under sections 52 and 55 of the Health Act, 1970, shall designate every bed, other than non-designated beds as a designated public bed or a designated private bed. The category non-designated beds refers to beds such as intensive care beds which it was not considered appropriate to designate as public or private. The regulations state that bed designations shall be subject to the direction and approval of the Minister for Health and Children.
The Health (Amendment) Act, 1991, was introduced to,inter alia, give effect to commitments in regard to equity of access, particularly to hospital services, given as part of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. Prior to 1991, there was considerable concern that private patients of consultants enjoyed quicker access to public hospitals, not only through the use of private beds but also through “queue-jumping” into public beds. The first designations came into operation in March 1992. I have arranged for the detailed information requested by the Deputy to issue to him directly.
Considerable care should be taken in interpreting these figures as there has been a very significant shift towards day cases in the overall provision of hospital care. There has been an estimated increase of almost 100% in day cases in the period 1992-99. This shift towards day case work facilitates a more intensive use of existing beds. In regard to the overall increase of hospital throughput at in-patient and day case level, there has been an estimated rise of 26% during the period 1992-99. Also changes have occurred in procedures in out-patient departments whereby cases can now be treated at out-patient level which previously would have required admission to hospitals.
It should be noted that, while health boards are in a position to designate public and private beds in acute hospitals, any such designations must have the approval of the Minister for Health and Children. Assessment of applications for alterations is based on monitoring information supplied by each hospital to my Department on a monthly basis and on any relevant additional information supplied by the hospital.
Following the full implementation of the bed designation system a review of hospital beds was carried out in 1993. On completion of this review the number and percentage, of acute beds designated as public, private-semi-private and non-designated were 9,016 – 73.6% – 2,500 – 20.4% – and 739 – 6.0% – respectively. The number and percentages currently are 8,995 – 73.2% – 2,528 – 20.6% – and 769 – 6.3% – respectively. This represents only a marginal increase in the proportion of beds designated as private-semi-private and reflects the specific requirements of developments put in place over this period. It should be noted that the implementation of the national development plan over the years 2000 to 2006 will add extra bed capacity to the public system.
I have initiated a study of bed capacity in response to commitments in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. This study will examine both acute and non-acute bed numbers and deal with issues relating to bed numbers throughout the public system.