Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 May 2000

Vol. 518 No. 6

Written Answers. - Hospital Studies.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

305 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the results of a recent study carried out at St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, by the departments of pharmacology and therapeutics at Trinity College, Dublin, that wrong frequency and legibility problems were the most commonly documented problems in an evaluation of prescribing errors in an out-patients' department and that these errors accounted for a total of 25% of the prescribing mistakes observed. [12500/00]

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

306 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on a recent study carried out at St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, by the department of pharmacology and therapeutics at UCD which showed a prescribing error rate of 31%. [12501/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 306 together.

The study referred to by the Deputy has not been submitted to my Department. As the responsibility for the provision of services at St. James's Hospital now rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the regional chief executive for his attention and direct reply to the Deputy.