Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Feb 1991

Vol. 404 No. 8

Written Answers. - Roscommon Hospital Staffing.

John Connor

Ceist:

58 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the shortfall in the number of nursing staff at the Sacred Heart Geriatric Hospital, Roscommon which is giving rise to a night duty nurse to patient ratio of 1:50; his views on whether this is satisfactory; and if he will provide the funds to the Western Health Board to bring the number of nurses employed in this institution up to accepted standards.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

The staffing of the Sacred Heart Home, Roscommon is a matter for the Western Health Board in the first instance.

I am informed by the health board that the present staffing of the home, which was significantly augmented in 1990, is adequate to meet the needs of the patients at the present time.

Under the personnel policy which applies in the health services, it is a matter for each agency to determine the appropriate staffing level in each of its institutions and other services, within its approved employment ceiling and financial allocation. Within these overall constraints it would be open to the health board to further improve the staffing level in the Sacred Heart Home if it felt this to be justified.