(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Health the steps he has taken to reduce the long delays at out-patients at the Regional Hospital, Limerick; if he intends allocating further resources to the Mid-Western Health Board to enable them to employ extra nursing and medical staff at the out-patients' unit, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Outpatients' Unit at Limerick Regional Hospital.
58.
The provision of outpatient services at Limerick Regional Hospital is a matter for the Mid-Western Health Board in the first instance.
The position at present is that the health board are reviewing the existing outpatient appointment system with a view to reducing the delays. I am confident that the efforts now being made by the board will succeed in resolving the problem.
Since 1982 there has been a 40 per cent increase in attendances at outpatient clinics. This is due to (i) increasing demand for services and (ii) the number of specialist clinics which have developed with the appointment of consultant staff who have special interests.
A new patient administration system has been introduced recently. A review of the existing out-patient appointment system is being undertaken at present prior to the introduction of a computerised outpatient module. This review also includes an examination of the present structure of clinical staffing and their duties and the need for supervisory administration posts in the outpatients Department.
In this context I should say that I have asked all health agencies to examine their procedures with a view to ensuring that the minimum hardship is experienced by patients. I should add that a capital grant of £250,000 was approved some time ago for improvements to the outpatient and accident and emergency departments at Limerick Regional and that a further £119,000 was subsequently approved for day theatre equipment also at Limerick Regional.
As the Deputy is aware, I allocated an additional £800,000 to the Mid-Western Health Board last August for hospital services in the region, including a variety of projects at Limerick Regional Hospital.