Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 1

Written Answers - Hospital Beds.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

374 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a shortage of beds has caused the cancellation of scheduled chemotherapy sessions in the Mater Hospital, the steps, he is taking to increase bed capacity in hospitals and in particular in Dublin hospitals and if he will contact the Eastern Regional Health Authority with a view to arranging for the completion of chemotherapy sessions in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 as soon as possible. [12375/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I am most concerned by the reported cancellation of chemotherapy services at the Mater Hospital. I have asked the regional chief executive of the Eastern Regional Health Authority to investigate this matter and to revert to me, and to the Deputy, as a matter of urgency. Services for eligible patients at the Mater Hospital are provided under an arrangement with the authority.

As the Deputy is aware, I initiated a national review of bed capacity in both the acute and non-acute sectors, on foot of the commitment by Government in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. The review is being conducted by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Finance and in consultation with the social partners. The review is now at an advanced stage and the findings will be brought to Government in the near future.

In parallel with this review, the Eastern Regional Health Authority – ERHA – recently completed a comprehensive acute bed needs assessment for its region. The study identified a requirement for 1,276 additional acute beds by 2011 to meet increasing demands. The objective of the ERHA review was to determine whether additional acute beds are required within the eastern region based on good standards of efficiency, population characteristics and medical/healthcare developments.

The ERHA review also identified a need to increase the number of non-acute beds for the care of older people in the region. This is seen as essential in order to allow for increased capacity and throughput in acute hospitals. The work of the ERHA will inform the preparation of a national assessment of bed requirements.

Under the winter initiative, I was pleased to provide funding of £9.485 million to the ERHA to help alleviate anticipated service pressures and to maintain services to patients in the acute hospital sector over the winter periods 2000-2001. This funding was targeted at a number of key service areas including contracting of private nursing home beds, enhanced discharge planning and bed management, provision of aids and appliances for use by older people, accident and emergency winter initiatives, contracting of places for young chronic disabled persons and contracting of places for young chronic behaviourally disturbed persons.

The contracting of private nursing home beds allows for earlier discharge of patients from the acute hospitals for convalescence purposes. Typically, patients admitted to private nursing homes will require short time care in a more appropriate setting prior to discharge home, thereby freeing up acute hospital beds for more acute medical and surgical admissions. My Department has been informed by the ERHA that 375 private nursing home beds have been contracted up to 2 April in response to demand.

Finally, I should point out that under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, this Government is committed to investing £1 billion for the development of acute hospital services. I am satisfied that this investment will improve the capacity of the acute hospital sector to respond to increased demand for services over this period.