Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2004
121 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps being taken to address the continuing crisis in the acute hospital service, especially in the greater Dublin area, as a result of which many patients have to spend long periods on trolleys in accident and emergency units awaiting admission; the steps in particular he intends to take to deal with the problems of bed blockers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7014/04]
View answer232 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the extent to which adequate accident and emergency staff are available to meet requirements at the various hospitals throughout the country; the areas in which deficiency has been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7258/04]
View answerI propose to answer Questions Nos. 121 and 232 together.
There are a number of initiatives under way at present in order to deal with pressures in emergency medicine departments. Planning for the discharge of patients by acute hospitals and the liaison with the community services has been prioritised on an ongoing basis by the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards. I have provided an additional €12.6 million — €8.8 million to the ERHA and €3.8 million to the Southern Health Board — to facilitate the discharge of patients from the acute system to a more appropriate setting thereby freeing up acute beds. A report entitled Acute Hospital Bed Capacity — A National Review, carried out by my Department, identified a requirement for an additional 3,000 acute beds in acute hospitals by 2011 and this requirement is reflected in the Government's health strategy, Quality and Fairness — A Health System for You. Some 568 of the 709 beds in the first phase have been commissioned to date of which 260 are in the eastern region. The ERHA is currently working closely with the major acute hospitals in Dublin with a view to re-opening beds which were temporarily closed last year. As part of the winter initiative, an additional 20 emergency medicine consultants have been appointed from the 29 approved. Additional appointments are being progressed by the health boards and the ERHA. It is also worth noting that the number of emergency medicine consultants in the eastern region has increased from ten to 21 in the past five years. A review of the nurse staffing levels in emergency departments is also being progressed by the Health Services Employers Agency in consultation with the health service management representatives and the nursing unions. Emergency medicine departments may sometimes have to deal with injuries and conditions which are more appropriate to a primary care setting. General practitioner out-of-hours co-operatives have been established and are operating in at least part of all health board areas, with one health board, the North Eastern Health Board, having a region wide project. A total of €46.5 million has been allocated for the development of out-of-hours co-operatives between 1997 and 2003.
I assure the Deputies that I will continue to work with the various health agencies in looking for short-term and longer term solutions to the current difficulties.
