Vol. 404 No. 4
349 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he has received a plan from the Southern Health Board for the provision of extra beds for long stay geriatric patients at St. Patrick's Hospital, Fermoy, County Cork; and the action his Department are taking on this urgent matter.
The plan prepared by the Southern Health Board to implement the recommendations of The Years Ahead — A Policy for the Elderly contains proposals to develop assessment, rehabilitation and respite beds at St. Patrick's Hospital Fermoy. The Board will implement this plan as resources permit.
Under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, additional funds will be made available by the Government to develop community services for the elderly over the next seven years. This commitment will allow health boards, including the Southern, to make substantial progress towards implementing their priorities for service development.
