Vol. 539 No. 3
44 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that elderly people are being held in acute hospitals for long periods while awaiting assessment for nursing home long-term stay places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19328/01]
It is acknowledged that a major factor affecting the ability of acute hospitals to provide beds for patients is the number of beds which are inappropriately occupied by patients who have completed the acute phase of their treatment. Many of these patients are older people who require a further level of care in a more appropriate setting. In addition, some of these patients will have been admitted to acute hospitals as a result of the lack of alternative residential and community services. The contracting of additional places in private nursing homes was identified as an appropriate measure to help reduce the effect of inappropriately placed patients on the acute hospital system. I am pleased to report that over 700 places were contracted in private nursing homes under the winter initiative to address this requirement. In addition funding was allocated to health agencies to facilitate improved efficiency in the discharge planning function. This was designed to eliminate any avoidable delays in the patient assessment process prior to discharge and transfer to an alternative setting including nursing homes.
My Department has also provided funding to increase the number of geriatricians employed in acute hospitals in recent years. In addition, my Department has supported the provision of specialist departments of medicine for older people in general hospitals and this has been one of the most significant advances in the care of older people. Such specialist departments are designed to ensure prompt admission of older patients to hospital, specialist assessment, diagnosis and treatment, rehabilitation and continuing support on discharge where day hospital facilities are available. The availability of adequate assessment, rehabilitation and day hospital facilities for older people is crucial to the provision of timely, accessible, less disruptive acute treatment services for older people and can also reduce significantly the inappropriate use of acute beds. My Department will continue to place high priority on the development of such services.
