Accident and Emergency Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 March 2006

Tuesday, 7 March 2006

Questions (170)

Joan Burton

Question:

199 Ms Burton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which the daily figures regarding the number of patients who have been admitted to hospital through accident and emergency departments, yet are still lying on trolleys, are compiled; if trolleys are counted at the same time every day; if individual hospitals have been given guidelines on the way in which to conduct this count; if so, the guidelines for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8963/06]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children (Ms Harney)

The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for collecting data on hospital activity. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.