Vol. 394 No. 8
52 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the Mid-Western Health Board to re-open the closed ward in Ennis General Hospital, County Clare; and if he will provide 100 overnight beds in the hospital in order that elective surgery may proceed without undue delay.
365 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Health if he has allocated funds to the Mid-Western Health Board for the administration of their acute hospitals in Limerick, Nenagh and Ennis on the basis of the revised guidelines agreed by the Chief Executive Officer and his Department covering the new catchment areas; and whether a special allocation is urgently required to bring Ennis General Hospital up to the 100-bed level which was promised by the Government parties in the 1989 General Election literature (details supplied).
I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 365 together.
The Mid-Western Health Board was notified on 7 December last of its non-capital allocation for 1990. The Deputies will appreciate that decisions on the detailed distribution of the allocation by programme are matters for the health board.
The number of beds and resources to be provided at any hospital in the area are also matters for decision by the Mid-Western Health Board in the first instance. The board have already given very careful consideration to the question of hospital services in the area and have decided that Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals should continue to provide acute medical and surgical treatment for their present catchment populations. In determining the exact level of services and number of beds required at each hospital it was necessary for the board to examine the population of the areas and their characteristics; the number of patients who travel outside the counties for hospital treatment; and the relationship which exists between both hospitals and Limerick Regional Hospital. Following assessment of all these factors the board decided on the appropriate number of beds which is sufficient to provide an acceptable level of service. It is my intention that Ennis and Nenagh hospitals will continue to provide a satisfactory level of care for the patients in their areas.
