Michael Ring
Ceist:134 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children when the hospice unit of the Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar, County Mayo, first opened; and the number of beds which are in the hospice unit. [10718/02]
Written Answers. - Health Board Services.
Michael Ring
Ceist:135 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children if the hospice unit at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Castlebar, County Mayo, is open on a full time basis; and the number of nurses and staff assigned to the unit. [10719/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 135 together.
Responsibility for the provision of health services in Mayo rests with the Western Health Board. My Department has made inquiries of the board in relation to the hospice unit of the Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar and has been informed that the unit was officially opened on 23 January, 1999. There are three nursing staff assigned to the two-bed unit which is not currently open as there is difficulty recruiting a medical officer and it is not possible to provide the required level of service without 24 hour medical cover. I understand that the issue is being addressed by the board in co-operation with the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice Foundation.