Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 1

Written Answers - Hospital Services.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

443 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself that the public have ready access to hospitals and hospital services in the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7406/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Responsibility for the provision of hospital services to residents of Dublin rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA).

The Department is advised that the ERHA is continuing to work closely with individual hospitals in the region to further improve access to hospital services. Funding of €47 million has been provided by my Department in 2003 to the ERHA to support the commissioning of 335 acute hospital beds in the eastern region approved under the bed capacity initiative. Over 200 of these additional beds were commissioned in 2002 with the remaining beds scheduled to be commissioned in the current year.

Significant progress has been made in treating patients on waiting lists. The ERHA has advised my Department that, during 2002 in the eastern region, over 5,000 patients were treated under the waiting list initiative and that more than 1,100 patients were treated through the treatment purchase fund since referrals under the fund commenced in mid-2002.

Overall, patients treated in the acute hospitals in the eastern region increased from 1,824,595 in 2000 to 1,916,622 in 2002 which represents an increase in overall activity of 5%. Within this total, day case activity increased by 25%.

Various measures to improve access to accident and emergency services have been introduced in recent years including the appointment of eight additional accident and emergency consultants. Minor injury units have been opened in all the acute hospitals in the region, to ensure rapid treatment of people coming to accident and emergency units with minor injuries. Specialist clinics have been opened in a number of the accident and emergency hospitals to fast-track patients coming to accident and emergency with specific conditions.

Funding provided in recent years to the ERHA has supported a range of additional initiatives in accident and emergency departments including the development of accident and emergency facilities at St. James's Hospital; the development of a new accident and emergency department at St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park; the development of a new accident and emergency department at The Children's Hospital, Temple Street; an extension to the accident and emergency department at St. Columcille's Hospital; the provision of a chest pain service at St. James's Hospital; the recruitment of discharge planners and patient liaison personnel at accident and emergency sites in the eastern region; the development of pilot services for deep vein thrombosis in Beaumont Hospital.

Additional measures designed to improve the utilisation of acute beds include the Homefirst programme which was introduced as a pilot scheme between the Northern Area Health Board and Beaumont Hospital and is now being extended to the remainder of the Northern Area and the East Coast Area Health Boards. This programme facilitates earlier discharge after an acute illness. Additional sub-acute capacity has also been provided in the eastern region, with the opening of community nursing units, each with a 50 bed capacity, in Lusk, Maynooth, Dalkey and Leopardstown Park. Revenue funding has been provided to the ERHA to ensure that all of these additional beds will be commissioned in the current year.

This range of measures is designed to improve patient access to acute hospitals and represent tangible evidence of the commitment by the Government in addressing this important issue.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

444 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients other than those seeking cardiac surgery, who have been sent overseas for treatment in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7407/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

445 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients who were sent overseas for cardiac treatment in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7408/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together.

Circular 21/85, which was issued by my Department, sets out the criteria that must be applied when considering applications for authorisation to receive medical treatment outside the State. The responsibility for applying these criteria to the specific circumstances of each case rests with the health boards and the ERHA. Information on the number of cases authorised under the terms of this circular is not routinely collected by my Department. However, I am asking the chief executive officers of the health boards and the ERHA to communicate directly with the Deputy in the matter.

Under the national treatment purchase fund, 15 patients have been sent to the United Kingdom for treatment to date. The number and specific procedures involved were varicose veins (10), general surgery (two), plastic surgery (one), gynaecological procedure (one) and hernia operation (one).

In addition, in 2002 a total of 17 children had cardiac surgery performed abroad under an arrangement involving Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

446 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the state of the plans for combined heart and lung transplants here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7409/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Arrangements are being put in place to facilitate the commencement of the lung transplant programme in 2003. Considerable preparatory work has already been completed including the provision of appropriate assessment facilities required to support the development of the service and the appointment of key transplant personnel at the Mater Hospital which has been designated at the surgical site for the programme. Revenue funding of €7.9 million has been provided in the current year to support the commencement of the programme.