Vol. 278 No. 10
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that there are considerable numbers of chronically ill persons in County Offaly in need of hospitalisation who cannot receive attention in Tullamore Hospital due to lack of accommodation; and whether he has any proposals to deal with the situation.
4.
asked the Minister for Health if, as a means of relieving the acute congestion in Tullamore Hospital, County Offaly, he will make arrangements whereby certain suitable categories of patients may be accommodated in a private nursing home convenient to the hospital.
5.
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the urgent need to provide an additional medical unit of 40 to 50 beds in Tullamore Hospital, County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
6.
asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that medical, social and population considerations would seem to indicate that the recommendation in the Fitzgerald Report that a general regional hospital for the midland region be established in Tullamore, County Offaly, is basically sound; and if he will now give a direction that the recommendation be implemented forthwith.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, together.
I have had inquiries made regarding chronically ill patients and have been informed by the health board that it is not correct to say that there are considerable numbers of chronically ill persons in County Offaly in need of hospitalisation who cannot receive attention in Tullamore Hospital. Statistics of bed occupancy for 1974 do not indicate that there is continuing overcrowding at this hospital, although overcrowding does occur from time to time in the medical and maternity wards. There is however no waiting list for medical patients; patients requiring investigation or medical care are admitted immediately.
With regard to the Deputy's suggestion that suitable patients might be accommodated in a local private nursing home, the position is that a proposal to this effect was recently submitted to my Department by the health board and is being considered at present.
The location in the future of general hospitals in the midlands area and the provision of additional accommodation there are questions to be considered generally as part of the hospital development programme. I intend to make an announcement on this shortly.
Is the Minister aware that a number of patients who are ill have to leave the hospital before they are due to leave it? In plain language, they have to move out to allow other patients to enter the hospital. It may not be very nice to say that but that is the position. According to the doctors in the hospital, they would like the patients to remain for a few weeks but they are unable to do this because of lack of accommodation. Recently I was in the hospital and I saw that the surgical as well as the maternity wards were overcrowded.
I am anxious to assist the Deputy to elicit information but he appears to be making a speech. Will he please put a question?
In view of the fact that patients are obliged to leave the hospital before they are fit to leave it, has the Minister any plans to relieve the situation? There is an up-to-date nursing home nearby and I should like it to be given official status——
With regard to the latter part of the Deputy's question, about a fortnight ago, in reply to another question, I indicated that the possibility of transferring some of the patients to a local private nursing home was being considered. A proposal to that effect was sent to the Department of Health some time ago and I hope to be able to give a decision shortly. I hope to be able to make a decision after discussion with the hospital authorities. So far as the discharge of patients is concerned. I am informed there is no waiting list for medical patients and that cases requiring investigation and medical care are admitted immediately.
Is the Minister aware that if he or any representative goes to this hospital at any time he will see quite a number of patients accommodated in the corridors? That is standard practice in this hospital. Therefore how can he maintain there is not overcrowding?
I do not deny what the Deputy says. As a matter of fact, as a result of a question I was asked some time ago an official of the Department went to the Tullamore hospital. It was discovered there was overcrowding in certain parts of the hospital but generally the situation is not as serious as the Deputy suggests. I would add that this situation did not arise today or yesterday; probably it has been there for a long time.
It is there today.
That is why this Government are determined to ensure that the placing of hospitals and their development throughout the country will meet the needs of all patients.
In his reply the Minister stated he was not aware that a considerable number of persons in County Offaly are in the chronically ill category and should be admitted to hospital for assessment and treatment but are not admitted. Is the Minister satisfied that is the position?
Let us distinguish between the chronically ill and those in need of medical care. So far as the chronically ill are concerned, their position has been alleviated. Tullamore hospital is not a geriatric hospital. The problem has been alleviated to a certain extent recently with the reopening last autumn of a welfare home for the aged at Birr.
I am not talking about geriatric patients. Deputy Connolly and myself have positive statements from reputable, responsible people in this area that there are quite a number of chronically ill young persons in County Offaly who are in need of hospitalisation but who cannot be brought into the Tullamore hospital because of inadequate facilities. Is the Minister aware that the medical staff in Tullamore hospital will assert positively that there is need for an additional 40 to 50 general medical beds in the hospital? Finally, may I ask the Minister when can we expect the statement to which he referred and will it cover the situation of Tullamore as a possible regional hospital?
It will cover the whole country. I explained here some time ago that in deference to the wishes of people like the people in Tullamore, Portlaoise, and various other places, I was willing to meet them and I have received about 24 deputations and had the views of those deputations. The Deputy will appreciate from his experience at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis that there is a difference of opinion even between members of the same political party as to where hospitals should be sited. The information I got from the various deputations has now been correlated in order that I, with a sub-committee of the Cabinet, will be able to announce an overall plan of hospitalisation for the whole country.
When does the Minister think he will be in a position to make this statement on the future of the hospitals?
I must confess that the report compiled on these deputations was only submitted to me last week, or so, and I have not had an opportunity of reading it yet.
Has the sub-committee had meetings with regard to this?
We are getting away now from the subject matter of the question.
And I cannot discuss the activities of the sub-committee.
Am I to take it that Tullamore hospital may be closed in view of the rumour in the Midland Health Board area?
I am not responsible for rumour.
I know that, but the Minister is responsible for hospitals.
I will be responsible for the decisions made.
I am calling Question No. 7. Deputies have had a great deal of latitude on this question.
If the decision is pro the mini-scale hospital, will that not mean the closure of Tullamore county hospital?
I am not prepared to say what places are designated for development of that type of hospital until I have studied the full report.
I take it——
Would Deputy Connolly please obey the Chair? I have called Question No. 7.
I take it that if Tullamore is not included in whatever decision is made that will mean the closure of Tullamore.
That is an assumption. I have not made any decision yet.
