asked the Minister for Health the reasons the James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown, County Dublin closed its casualty unit and halted all admissions for two weeks from 17 June 1985; and the measures that have been taken to ensure that the hospital does not have to close these facilities again; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - James Connolly Memorial Hospital.
5.
The James Connolly Memorial Hospital has an approved complement of two consultant anaesthetists. One of the consultant anaesthetists resigned on 15 May 1985 but had indicated that he was prepared to provide locum cover until his replacement took up duty. However, it emerged that for personal reasons this consultant was unable to provide locum cover and he terminated his commitment to the hospital completely.
The second consultant had planned to take annual leave from 15 June to 30 June 1985 and he was not in a position to alter his arrangements. It was not possible to secure alternative anaesthetic cover until 25 June.
The hospital has now resumed normal services. The hospital authorities have made the necessary arrangements to fill the vacant post of consultant anaesthetist on a permanent basis as quickly as possible. In the interim the hospital authorities hope to be able to appoint a locum.
The Minister has kindly explained the circumstances which led to the extraordinary situation where a hospital closed its casualty unit and had to refuse to admit any new patients. That was a cessation of services in a major hospital in the capital city. Could the Minister explain if this was due to management problems or to lack of staff generally? Surely there would be a pool on which the hospital could draw in a crisis?
If I were not such a charitable person I would regard this as coinciding with the local elections?
Does that mean that the hospital closed down because of the local elections?
There were no accident or emergency services provided in the hospital between 15 and 25 June. During that period the hospital had to withdraw also from the coronary care ambulance call and it was necessary to close the theatres and the intensive care unit. No at-risk patients were admitted. Between 25 and 30 June theatre work was resumed and the intensive care unit was opened. The hospital was on call on 24, 25 and 26 June and 28 people were admitted. The hospital had to withdraw from the rota system on four occasions — ironically on 19-20 June, 24-25 June, 29-30 June and 30 June-1 July. I can assure the Deputy there is no restriction on this hospital in terms of consultant anaesthetist posts. I regard it as highly unsatisfactory that that situation should have been permitted to develop. I take a rather dim view of what happened.
There is an application before the Department for a third consultant post but that post has not been cleared at departmental level. The hospital has two consultants and adequate cover. It should have been possible in this major hospital which serves a large part of Dublin to have had an anaesthetic cover during that period. As the Deputy is aware, a furore was caused particularly in the week prior to the local election, and people locally exploited the situation in a disgraceful manner, notably people from the Opposition.
That is an extraordinary statement. First the Minister implied that there is ample cover and that the hospital could have got an extra anaesthetist in time and, secondly, there is an implication that the hospital was closed for political reasons, to embarrass the Government.
I am not suggesting it. The coincidence struck me——
It is extraordinary that the Minister should have referred to this coincidence in that manner, suggesting that a hospital would exploit the situation.
Has the Deputy a question?
I am asking the Minister if he is seriously suggesting, and if he has any evidence, that this hospital was exploiting a political situation prior to the local elections in order to possibly gain extra staff or something of that nature. Is he saying it was unnecessary to close down the hospital for those ten days?
In fairness the Eastern Health Board made a major effort to ensure that alternative cover would be provided but that was not successful. One of the consultants resigned on 15 May. Admittedly he indicated he was prepared to provide locum cover but then he was unable to provide that cover and he terminated his contract with the hospital. The second consultant decided to go on annual leave from 15 to 30 June and he was not in a position to alter his arrangements and the management of the hospital were not in a position to do anything about obtaining cover. That is what happened.
As I say, I am being charitable about this situation but a major hospital, particularly a hospital on the accident and emergency rota in Dublin, should have made every effort to provide these services and I have no option but to accept that it did this. The board, on which there are a number of prominent Opposition Members, were prepared to exploit this situation. This had nothing to do with me. That shows what people will do to get votes.
If the Minister has finished perhaps he would resume his seat, because I never know when he is finished. Is it not a fact that politics had nothing to do with this closure? Is it not a fact that the James Connolly Memorial Hospital had a shortfall of £1.5 million this year? It is not a fact that about 60 beds have been closed? It is not a fact that the management have not been able to open an orthopaedic unit in that hospital? It is also not a fact that they should not be providing an emergency service without these beds? This closure is the result of inadequate funding by the Department.
This confirms the point I was making that the Deputy's party in particular have been trying to stir up a great deal of what I can only call political nonsense. There is no question of the hospital having a shortfall of £1.5 million this year, last year or any other year. In summer periods all hospitals including the hospital in which the Deputy worked, close a number of beds——
Only since the Minister came on the scene.
It is common practice.
It is not.
Irish people tend to go on holidays during the summer, as do hospital staff. In the months of July, August and December beds are not fully occupied but every bed which is not filled is now classified by Fianna Fáil as a closed bed. There could be nothing further from the truth.
These beds have been closed since January.
The James Connolly Memorial Hospital has adequate funding for 1985. There was no shortage of money in 1984. It got an increased allocation for 1985 and was not short £1.5 million. I am concerned about the fact that locally the role of the hospital was exploited for political purposes during the local elections, I stress not by the management staff but by certain board members and certain local politicians.
I am the first Minister for Health who is trying to spend a great deal of money improving the outpatient department of that hospital which is very tiny. I have provided substantial additional moneys, for example, for the pathology end. I got expensive equipment for that hospital from Technicon to help in the work being done in that hospital. A great deal has been done deliberately by my Department to upgrade and develop Blanchardstown hospital but unfortunately people were determined to exploit the role of the hospital at local level for political purposes. I very much regret that there was a lack of anaesthetic cover in that hospital but it had nothing to do with my Department or with the budget. I very much regret this coincided with the local elections, but, as I said, I am charitable in my reaction to that happening.
I asked a specific question about the failure to open an orthopaedic unit in that hospital.
A question, please.
That hospital is participating in the emergency rota for north Dublin. Does the Minister think it should be participating in such a rota in view of that inadequacy?
If the Deputy comes with me I will show him the facilities in that hospital.
I know them better than the Minister does.
I will show him the orthopaedic theatre which needs to be upgraded if it is to do that kind of work, and I will show him what the hospital is doing.
Can the Minister show me the orthopaedic beds?
The question of the orthopaedic cover in the hospital is not an issue between the board and the Department at this time.