Michael Ring
Question:579 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the average cost of a private bed and the average cost of a public bed in each of the health board and authority areas. [15769/03]
Written Answers. - Health Services.
The specialty costing system for acute public hospitals used by my Department does not distinguish between the cost of a public bed and the cost of a private bed. The information available is in respect of the average cost of a bed day. At present specialty costing information is not available for every acute hospital, it is only available for the 32 acute public hospitals participating in the case mix budget model. There are many factors which affect in-patient cost per bed day. These include the complexity of the workload and specialties available, teaching obligations, tertiary referrals etc.
Subject to the caveats outlined, the average cost of an in-patient bed in a major teaching hospital for 2001, the latest date for which final financial information is available, was €554 per day. In relation to other acute hospitals the average daily cost of an in-patient bed in 2001 was €416 per day. It should be noted that the figures mentioned exclude costs attributable to day cases, out-patient services, long-stay cases, psychiatry and renal dialysis, nor do they take account of capital costs or depreciation.
Question No. 580 answered with Question No. 575.
Michael Ring
Question:581 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the level of supply of surgical dressings in each county for people in private nursing homes as compared to those in public nursing homes; and his plans to increase the level of this supply to people in private nursing homes. [15771/03]
Information regarding the supply of surgical dressings in private nursing homes is not routinely gathered by my Department. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive officers of the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority to provide whatever information is collated in this regard and to reply directly to the Deputy.