Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004
574 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has proposals to introduce a compensation scheme for psychiatric nurses who are injured in the course of their duties; and if the compensation scheme for the Gardaí has been examined by his Department as a possible model. [11591/04]
View answerThe report of the taskforce on assaults on psychiatric nurses was completed in 2003. In addition to quantifying the level of assaults and making recommendations in relation to prevention, the report contained proposals for a scheme of compensation for psychiatric nurses who have been seriously injured as a result of an assault by a patient in the workplace. As part of its deliberations, the taskforce considered the compensation schemes applying to gardaí and prison officers. Government approval would be required for the introduction of any new State compensation scheme, which would be additional to the existing serious physical assaults scheme. In late 2003, a draft memorandum for Government was circulated and, during the consultation process, complex legal and financial issues emerged in relation to aspects of the scheme proposed by the taskforce and their implications for the health service and the wider public service.
At a meeting on 3 March, I updated the Psychiatric Nurses' Association and SIPTU on particular concerns that had been raised in relation to the proposed scheme. My officials are continuing discussions with the Department of Finance and the Office of the Attorney General and I expect to be in a position to provide a further update to staff representatives in the near future.
575 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children when the third consultant physician will be appointed at the County Hospital, Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11630/04]
View answerThe issue of appointing an additional consultant physician at Roscommon County Hospital will be considered by my Department in conjunction with the Western Health Board in the context of the resources available to the board in 2004.
576 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of children suffering from inflammatory bowel disease; if this represents an increase based on the previously published figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11632/04]
View answerInflammatory bowel disease generally refers to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Information on hospitalisation for these conditions is available from the hospital in-patient enquiry, HIPE, system. This system records information on each discharge from all publicly funded acute hospitals. The table below reports all hospital discharges, including inpatients and day cases, for children under the age of 15 years with a principal diagnosis of either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis for each of the years 1995 to 2003. Persons hospitalised more than once in a given year for the same condition are counted separately in the statistics for each hospital stay.
|
Type of Bowel Disease |
|||
|
Year |
Crohn’s Disease |
Ulcerative Colitis |
Total |
|
1995 |
35 |
44 |
79 |
|
1996 |
42 |
46 |
88 |
|
1997 |
59 |
48 |
107 |
|
1998 |
33 |
52 |
85 |
|
1999 |
44 |
36 |
80 |
|
2000 |
42 |
35 |
77 |
|
2001 |
53 |
32 |
85 |
|
2002 |
77 |
39 |
116 |
|
2003* |
96 |
27 |
123 |
