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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Feb 2003

Vol. 561 No. 1

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

171 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to ensure the provision of a greater number of step-down beds, especially in the greater Dublin area to prevent a repeat of the crisis seen in mid-January 2003 when many hospitals had to suspend elective surgery and others had to appeal to people not to attend at accident and emergency departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3410/03]

As the Deputy may be aware there is a commitment in the national health strategy to provide 1,370 additional assessment and rehabilitation beds, plus 600 additional day hospital beds with facilities encompassing specialist areas such as falls, osteoporosis treatment, fracture prevention, Parkinson's disease, stroke prevention, heart failure and continence promotion clinics. In addition, the strategy proposed the provision of an extra 800 extended care-community nursing unit places per year over a seven year period which will include provision for people with dementia.

As the Deputy may also be aware, public private partnerships, PPPs, are currently being piloted in the health sector. PPP is based on the concept that better value for money for the Exchequer may be achieved through the exploitation of private sector competencies to capture innovation and the allocation of risk to the party best able to manage it. Initially, the focus will be mainly in the area of community nursing units, CNUs, for older people. It is anticipated that 17 new CNUs will be created when the initial pilot programmes are complete, providing up to a maximum of 850 new beds in Dublin and Cork. The services offered in these units will include: assessment-rehabilitation; respite; extended care; convalescence and, if the PPP pilot demonstrates success, it is the intention to use it as a means of providing additional community nursing units in other locations throughout the country.

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