asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a recent statement that there exists a waiting list of six to seven months for admission to the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin; and what specific proposals there are to ease this serious shortage of beds.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Bed Accommodation.
98.
Mr. O'Malley
I am aware of the position referred to by the Deputy. I am assured however that urgent cases are admitted to this hospital without delay.
Building work now in progress, in addition to providing satisfactory operating theatre facilities, will make available this summer 17 additional beds. On the completion of this work it will be possible to release accommodation now used as a theatre to provide a children's ward of ten to 12 beds.
The hospital board have now under consideration further proposals for the reallocation of the accommodation in the hospital and in adjoining houses which they have acquired. This scheme should make available about 20 additional beds in the hospital. I understand that plans for this work will be submitted to my Department within a week.
99.
asked the Minister for Health (1) the total number of vacant beds in St. Stephen's Hospital, Glanmire, Co. Cork on 1st April in each of the years 1960 to 1966 inclusive; (2) the cost of each vacant bed to (a) the ratepayers and (b) the taxpayers for each of the years mentioned; (3) what steps are being taken by the Cork Health Authority to have these beds filled by patients from other over-crowded hospitals under the control of the Health Authority; (4) if proposals were made to his Department in connection with the filling of these beds; (5) the date or dates on which these proposals were received by his Department; and (6) the date or dates on which his Department's decisions were conveyed to the Health Authority.
Mr. O'Malley
The number of vacant beds in St. Stephen's Hospital, on each of the dates mentioned, was 126, 92, 137, 172, 228, 250, and 229 respectively.
The calculation of the cost of an unoccupied bed would be a complex costing operation and would involve a number of hypotheses which would leave any figure arrived at open to doubt. Consequently I would regard such calculation as a fruitless exercise.
As regards the remaining parts of the question, there was correspondence and discussions between the health authority and my Department from the time the health authority proposed, in January, 1963, the transfer of 150 chronic, bed-ridden patients from Our Lady's Hospital, a proposal which my predecessor had to oppose as it would prevent the development of a good service for the mentally ill in the Cork area. Ultimately agreement was reached in May, 1965, to utilise six units which would accommodate over 200 patients at St. Stephen's Hospital as the nucleus of an acute psychiatric hospital. I understand that the health authority is in process of taking the necessary steps to give effect to that agreement but I am unable to say when patients can be admitted.