asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the acute crisis which exists at Galway Regional Hospital where (i) male and female surgical patients are being accommodated on the same corridor at the same time and (ii) day patients are being sent home after waiting for a number of hours because the day ward is being used as a regular ward to accommodate both male and female patients; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that patients are being kept in intensive care longer than is necessary because there are no other beds in the hospital to accommodate them; that only emergency cases are being dealt with; that the admissions officer, who has no clinical experience, makes the decision on who should be admitted and has stated that she deals in numbers only, not the clincal condition of the patient; that there is a proposal to close two surgical wards at Galway Regional Hospital for two months; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Galway Regional Hospital.
The management of the Regional Hospital at Galway is a matter for the Western Health Board in the first instance. I am aware that considerable difficulties have arisen over the years in managing the admission levels at the hospital and the board has recently put in place a bed management policy to address this problem. The essential objectives of the policy are to ensure that adequate beds are available at all times for emergency cases; to allow for the management of the level of patients admitted for elective treatment and to ensure that all consultants at the hospital have fair and equitable access to facilities.
This arrangement has been introduced following considerable consultations with the medical, nursing and administrative staff and is actively supported by practically all such staff in the interests of patient care. The arrangement was the subject of some adverse media reports recently but I am informed that the consultants' medical staff committee and representatives of the nursing staff at the hospital have disassociated themselves from these reports.
The hospital management has confirmed that there is no crisis at the hospital and the high level of admissions is being experienced by one consultant only. It is the high level of admissions by this consultant which has given rise to some difficulties in ensuring that appropriate accommodation is available for all patients who have to be admitted.
The person referred to as the "admissions officer" is in fact the "patient relations officer" and she has many years experience in this field and is in a position to ensure that no major difficulties arise if all consultants adhere to the agreed admissions policy.
In relation to the closure of two surgical wards for two months, I can say that no such decision has been taken and this is one of a range of options which is being considered by the board to ensure that it operates within its approved financial allocation for the year.