Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 6 Apr 1995

Vol. 451 No. 7

Written Answers. - Cork Public Hospital Beds.

Batt O'Keeffe

Ceist:

55 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself with bed management arrangements within public hospitals in the Cork area; and the proposals, if any, he has to bring about an improvement in this area. [4873/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): As the Deputy will be aware, the workload of many hospitals has increased since Christmas owing to a rise in the number of people, many of them elderly, requiring admission to hospital because of respiratory and other seasonal complaints. Such an increase in activity is consistent with the general pattern for that time of year. As a result of this additional workload there has been pressure on medical wards in particular and some delays in accident and emergency departments.

The Deputy will also be aware that there has been considerable pressure on beds in the Cork area since early January due primarily to an influx of emergency admissions, mostly in the medical area.

The normal practice in such situations is as follows: elective admissions are rescheduled; five day beds are converted to acute admission seven-day beds and additional beds are made available on wards.

From the information available to me, I am satisfied that these procedures have largely been followed by the hospitals in the Cork area. However, in order to ensure that existing arrangements allow for maximum possible efficiency in the use of available beds in the area as a whole, I have requested officials of my Department to consult with the hospital authorities in this regard.

I would like to assure the Deputy that all urgent and emergency cases continue to be treated. Furthermore, every effort is being made to ensure that the patients affected receive new admission dates as soon as possible.