Gay Mitchell
Ceist:24 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to change the manner in which statistics on children in hospital are collected.
Written Answers. - Health Statistics.
Presumably the Deputy is referring to a recent article published in the Irish Medical News dated 18 October 1993 which reported criticism of hospital statistics by the association for the welfare of children in hospital.
My Department collects in-patient activity data from all public hospitals on a monthly basis and each year selected statistics are published in the health statistics series of reports. Information by specialty, including paediatrics i.e. where there is a practising paediatric consultant, is published for each individual hospital.
Paediatric analysis on a national level is available from the hospital in-patient inquiry (HIPE) scheme. These figures relate to children aged under 15 years of age discharged from all public hospitals. The volume of data collected under the monthly in-patient activity scheme and under the HIPE scheme is quite immense and consequently it is possible to publish selective data only. The more detailed data are of course used by my Department and by the health boards in the planning of services. The comprehensiveness and timeliness of these data are being continually improved.
The information collected by my Department relates only to activity in public hospitals. Private hospitals do not at present participate in the provision of data and I have no authority to require them to do so.