asked the Minister for Health if his Department have guidelines on the criteria necessary for a health board to provide acute and surgical services with regard to the existing county and general hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Health Services.
220.
The provision of acute services in general hospitals is a matter for the individual health board in the first instance. The Department have drawn up general guidelines on bed/population ratios for a wide range of medical and surgical specialties to assist health boards in determining their acute bed requirements. The availablility of other services in the area, in particular the existence of support hospitals and the state of development of the community based services, are factors which must be taken into account in assessing the level of facilities appropriate to a particular hospital.