Hospital Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004

Thursday, 28 October 2004

Questions (19, 20)

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

17 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the investigation that has been held into the circumstances in which a person (details supplied) had to be sent to a hospital in Northern Ireland, due to a shortage of intensive care beds in the north east and in Dublin; the number of occasions in each of the past five years in which patients had to be sent to Northern Ireland due to the unavailability of intensive care beds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26336/04]

Olwyn Enright

Question:

96 Ms Enright asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement regarding the surgical services in the north east, especially the Cavan-Monaghan group; the operations being carried out; and the reason emergency surgery was not carried out recently on a very sick person. [26225/04]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children (Ms Harney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 96 together.

Responsibility for the provision of services at the Cavan-Monaghan Hospital Group rests with the North Eastern Health Board. Accordingly, my Department has requested the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the various issues raised by the Deputies and to reply to them directly in the matter.

With regard to the specific case referred to by the Deputies, my Department is advised by the board that the patient in question was admitted to Monaghan General Hospital. However, her condition deteriorated and a clinical decision was made to transfer her to another hospital. Several hospitals were contacted, including hospitals in the Dublin region, but due to pressure on intensive care beds they were not in a position to admit the patient. The patient was subsequently admitted to the Erne Hospital, Enniskillen.