Vol. 524 No. 5
298 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding made available to enable public hospitals to establish departments of medicine for the elderly as recommended in a report entitled "Ageing with Confidence". [23146/00]
The report entitled "Ageing with Confidence" was adopted by the Southern Health Board in June 2000 and outlines proposals for the provision of services for older people from 2000 to 2010 in the board's area. The development of specialist departments of medicine for older people in acute hospitals is one of the recommendations of the plan. There are currently 29 specialist departments of medicine for older people nationally, including units at Cork University Hospital and Tralee General Hospital. My Department has approved the planning of a further four departments at the Mercy Hospital Cork, South Infirmary-Royal Victoria Hospital Cork, Bantry General Hospital and Portiuncula Hospital Ballinasloe.
Under the National Development Plan 2000-06, funding of approximately £208 million has been made available to the health boards to enhance services for older people. It is anticipated that this funding will lead to an improvement in specialist led services by increasing the number of assessment of rehabilitation units and day hospitals. This will ensure more focused treatment under the direction of consultant physicians in old age medicine, thus significantly reducing length of stay in hospital.
