Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 2

Written Answers - Health Service Provision.

Richard Bruton

Question:

269 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the total number of long stay beds available in each health board, distinguishing between health board run, voluntary run and privately run units, and distinguishing the number of respite beds within that total. [13531/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

The number of public and private beds for the care of older people, as at March 2000, has been supplied by the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority and is set out in the following table:

Health Board/Health Authority

No. Public Beds

No. Private Beds(including voluntary)

Total No. Beds

Population per 1996Census (Over 65s)

No. of beds per 1,000Population (Over 65s)

ERHA3,0904,4547,544125,27160.22MHB9016251,52625,01960.99MWHB9901,5522,54237,48067.82NEHB9287091,63734,81247.02NWHB9466611,60729,39554.67SEHB1,4951,1812,67646,59057.44SHB1,6781,8403,51866,12753.20WHB1,3931,6153,00849,18861.15Total11,42112,63724,058413,88258

The figure for public beds includes beds available for assessment and rehabilitation, respite care, extended care, treatment of the elderly mentally infirm, convalescent care and welfare beds.

It is estimated that the numbers of respite beds in the health boards are as follows:

	ERHA	MHB	MWHB	NEHB	NWHB	SEHB	SHB	WHB	Total
Respite Beds	145	48	45	105	54	13	76	11	497