Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 7

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Tom Enright

Ceist:

43 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concern among people in the Midland Health Board area over the proposed bed closures, postponement of operations and the laying off of nursing and general staff at Tullamore General Hospital, County Offaly; the steps, if any, he will take to avoid these bed closures; and if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that there is already an extensive waiting list and these bed closures will make the situation more difficult. [23413/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

At the beginning of this year, the Midland Health Board submitted a service plan to my Department which specified the amount of activity that it would carry out in relation to in-patients, day cases and out patients. The board was funded for this level of activity. Tullamore General Hospital received an extra £1.316 million in 1998 over and above the amount allocated in 1997. It received £14.788 million in 1998, compared with £13.472 million in 1997.

On the basis of current trends, the Midland Health Board expects to have exceeded its targets for activity by the end of the year. It will also have met its separate targets under the waiting list initiative. In the final weeks of this year, commencing on 5 December and concluding on 4 January, the board will scale down its elective activity in Tullamore General Hospital. I must emphasise that the hospital will continue to deal with all urgent and emergency cases.

Temporary bed closures are a part of normal budgetary management strategy and must be looked at in the context of overall hospital activity. They are also used to facilitate ward refurbishment, and the Midland Health Board intends to carry out some necessary refurbishment during the period in question.

I can assure the Deputy that the Midland Health Board will assess the situation on a daily basis and, if the level of emergency and urgent cases so dictates, it will open additional beds as required.