Vol. 525 No. 2
143 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on a survey conducted by the Mid-Western Health Board stating that only half of those attending accident and emergency facilities actually need accident and emergency attention. [24512/00]
I am aware of the difficulties being encountered by hospitals delivering accident and emergency services and in particular the problem of overcrowding in accident and emergency departments.
I am advised that patient numbers attending the Mid-Western Regional Hospital have increased by 24.63% during the past ten years with a total of over 55,000 attending during 1999. The management of the board has been reviewing the operation of the accident and emergency department for the past number of months and a number of initiatives have already commenced including more direct access to some services for example, routine X-rays.
I am further informed that a new information technology system is now partly operational and supports the patient triage system which is undertaken by a trained nurse within 15 minutes of a patient's arrival. The initial data on patient management indicates that approximately 50% of those attending the accident and emergency department present with a non-serious illness or injury which is treatable elsewhere. A significant number of patients in this category present without visiting a general practitioner beforehand.
The board is striving to ensure that treatment at the accident and emergency department is provided to patients who require to be treated in such departments and that those with less serious injury or illness are seen by a general practitioner in the first instance or are referred to an appropriate service following triage if the presenting illness or injury is not serious.
In 1998, 1999 and 2000 the Department approved an additional funding of £2,250,000, £2,000,000 and £2,000,000 respectively to meet the costs of implementing initiatives aimed at improving access to accident and emergency services. First, there is the continuing need for public education regarding the appropriateness of attending the accident and emergency department. Second, the advent of extra long-stay places should provide some relief in regard to beds in acute hospitals. Of the £2,000,000 allocated in 2000, the Mid-Western Health Board received funding of £150,000.
As the Deputy will be aware, I recently announced the allocation of an additional £25 million as part of a winter initiative designed to reduce the pressures on acute hospitals over the winter period. This funding will enable specific initiatives to be taken including initiatives in accident and emergency departments. As part of this initiative, the Mid-Western Health Board will have access to 35 private nursing home beds for six months from October 2000 to March 2001.
