andDr. Cruise-O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the urgent need for the provision of general hospital facilities for the north Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
19.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - North Dublin Hospital Facilities.
18.
andDr. Cruise-O'Brien asked the Minister for Health whether consideration has been given to proposals made by residents of the area for the provision of general medical and accident treatment facilities at the Orthopaedic Hospital, Clontarf and at Saint Joseph's Hospital, Raheny, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
20.
andDr. Cruise-O'Brien asked the Minister for Health whether he has any proposals for the provision of maternity hospital services in the north Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
21.
andDr. Cruise-O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he has any proposals for the provision of hospital services for the Beaumont/Whitehall/Glasnevin/Drumcondra / Santry / Ballymun areas of Dublin; and whether he will give consideration to the possibility of providing such services at the Beaumont Convalescent Home or at some other suitable location.
With your permission a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 to 21 together.
The general hospital bed needs of the Dublin area as a whole are already adequately catered for by the existing hospitals. However these facilities are spread over too great a number of hospitals, many of them too small, and it is desirable that the service be reorganised into larger and more closely associated units in order to provide the level and range of services required in a more efficient manner. The provision of such services in the north east sector of the city and the other areas mentioned would add further to the proliferation of hospitals in the city and would run counter to the consensus of expert opinion on the way the hospital system in the city should be reorganised.
The Report of the Consultative Council on the General Hospital Services recommended that major accident work in Dublin should be based on the two main hospital groups which the report recommended for the city. Moreover, it would not be practicable to provide the range of services and facilities required for major accident work in the institutions mentioned in the questions. However, the authorities of the Orthopaedic Hospital, Clontarf, have kindly agreed to the transfer of selected adult orthopaedic cases after their initial phase of treatment in the north side general hospitals, so as to relieve the pressure on them arising out of accident and emergency admissions. The question of local provision for dealing with minor injuries such as cuts and bruises is, I understand, being looked into by the Eastern Health Board.
As regards the maternity hospital services in the North Dublin area, it is expected that some 68 additional beds will become available in a matter of months—28 being provided in Drumcondra Hospital and 40 in the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown. In addition, proposals for the provision of 60 to 70 extra beds at the Rotunda Hospital are under active examination. It is proposed that a new maternity unit will be developed in due course on the north side of the city in association with the James Connolly Memorial Hospital.
While the general survey of the health services might suggest some of the things the Minister is saying, would he agree, in view of the problems of this greatly populated area, with the case made by the organisations in the area for a general hospital which would service the area? In many cases delay has been experienced in getting urgent cases to hospitals in other parts of the city. Traffic congestion is a big hazard.
I have asked my officers to see this group in order to explain to them in detail the proposals in relation to general and regional hospitals for the north Dublin area. I can say without exaggeration that there is no civilised country where anybody would propose having five or six hospitals scattered through the city area, each one of them lacking the essential medical equipment and the essential team work that would be required for modern hospital service. My officers will explain to the north-east people exactly what the plan is and will also indicate to them where the increase in population is taking place in Dublin, how it relates to the proposals made in the FitzGerald Report.
Is the Minister satisfied that a proper explanation of the effects of the FitzGerald Report was given to the people in general? Would he not agree that many people are confused and are not aware of the purpose of the FitzGerald Report? Would he not think it advisable that officers of his Department might undertake this task of explaining the position to interested parties, because this group in the north city have been campaigning for a long time and no effort was made by the Department to explain to them the purpose of the FitzGerald Report?
I have written letters to various organisations in north Dublin.
I do not think the Minister has conveyed the real purpose of the FitzGerald Report to the people. This is what has gone wrong.
Perhaps we need more communication.
I think it is necessary.
Did the Minister say he is meeting the group?
Mr. Children
Yes.