Vol. 473 No. 1
169 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Health the additional services, if any, planned for Ennis General Hospital, County Clare; if so, when such services will be put in place; and when additional beds will be provided. [24722/96]
Limerick East): I am aware of the important role which Ennis General Hospital plays in the delivery of hospital services to the people of County Clare and I am committed to further improving these services. As part of the Mid-Western Health Board's acute hospital strategy of providing specialist services locally, three new clinical specialities were introduced earlier this year to Ennis General Hospital on both an out-patient and day care basis. These were, urology, genitourinary medicine and gynaecology. It is also planned, as part of this strategy, to introduce a specialist day care oral surgery service. A project team was established earlier this year to draw up a brief for the development of an acute Psychiatric Unit to be based at Ennis General Hospital. The preliminary brief for this development is now being considered by the Mid-Western Health Board and I look forward to receiving it.
In recent years, more emphasis has been placed on overall levels of service provided in general hospitals rather than on the provision of a specific number of beds. This is a reflection of the major changes in medical practice which have resulted in a reduction in the length of stay for in-patient care and the marked shift towards day case surgery and treatment of patients at out-patient level. In looking at acute hospital service delivery I feel it is inappropriate to focus solely on in-patient beds as a measure of hospital resources. The emphasise is on overall activity levels and throughput, whether this is achieved by in-patient care or out-patient attendances.
