Written Answers. - Public Private Hospital Mix.
Ulick Burke
Ceist:
110
Mr. U. Burke
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the plans, if any, he has to re-assess the public private mix in public hospitals; his views on whether public patients are often delayed or denied access to basic procedures due to the dominance of private access in many cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6394/00]
The public private mix in public hospitals is under continual assessment by my Department to ensure that the best possible service is available to all patients but particularly the public patient. This assessment includes monitoring of the bed designation system whereby the approval of the Minister for Health and Children must be obtained by public agencies for any increase in the designation. In this regard the percentage of private beds in the public acute hospital system has remained at about 20% since the designation system began in 1993. In addition, my Department has commissioned a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute, to review the operation of the designation system and that report is expected shortly.
It remains the Government's clear objective to deliver a quality hospital service to all patients but particularly to the public patient. I am very aware that the issue of access to services for those who are not deemed to be an emergency or in immediate need of care remains a focus of considerable dissatisfaction.
I have already publicly expressed my dissatisfaction with the waiting list figures for the end December 1999 period. I realise that the 36,855 people on public hospital waiting lists represent less than one twentieth of the total numbers who are admitted annually for treatment in the hospital system. Yet, it is a matter of genuine concern that many people, have to endure lengthy waits for access to elective procedures.
While there is no one simple solution to this problem, the key task, in my view, is to manage the different parts of the system in a more closely integrated manner. This integrated approach to the problem underpinned the recommendations of the expert review group on waiting lists which reported in 1998. That report set out a series of short, medium and longer term measures that are directed at addressing the underlying causes of the problem.
I intend to drive the implementation of those recommendations with an even greater urgency, with the emphasis being on achieving reductions in average waiting times rather than the less meaningful measure of overall numbers waiting. Progress made to date is currently being reviewed and where necessary I will be seeking to accelerate the introduction of the required measures, through direct communication with the chief executive officers.
In addition, step-down, rehabilitation, long stay and community facilities all need to be developed to alleviate pressures on the acute system. The availability of £1 billion for infrastructural developments in the non-acute sector under the NDP will allow us to make major progress on this front.
This is in addition to the £1 billion NDP investment in the hospital sector from which public patients, who take up 80% of our bed capacity, will benefit very significantly. In addition, the bed capacity of the acute sector itself needs to be reviewed against a background of population growth and other demographic changes. The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness contains an explicit commitment to do this and I will be immediately actioning that.
With the above approach, focusing on immediate practical steps as well as long-term measures, my aim is to achieve real progress in addressing the underlying factors affecting access to certain services. The public patient will benefit significantly from the initiatives and investment described above and I am convinced that the health and social gain for all persons in the public health system will be very much enhanced.
