Written Answers. - Hospital Accommodation.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
11
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the reason, in the course of the past year, despite the availability of decommissioned hospital wards, consideration was being given to treating patients in a hospital car park; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22592/03]
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:
55
Mr. Sargent
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the way in which he intends to deal with the continuing accident and emergency crisis in hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22583/03]
Joe Costello
Ceist:
59
Mr. Costello
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the steps being taken to prevent serious difficulties in accident and emergency services during the coming months, especially in acute hospitals on the north side of Dublin, in view of the severe difficulties that have been experienced in hospitals such as the Mater and Beaumont over recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22525/03]
Finian McGrath
Ceist:
142
Mr. F. McGrath
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
his plans to deal with pressures on hospital and accident and emergency departments on the northside of Dublin, particularly Beaumont and the Mater Hospitals where general practitioner out of house services are least developed.
[22698/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 55, 59 and 142 together.
I have already outlined to the House the various initiatives which are under way and are planned to address pressures in the acute hospital system nationally which are heightened in emergency medicine departments. Particular pressures have been experienced in emergency departments on the northside of Dublin in recent weeks. In order to deal with the specific problems being encountered in the Dublin area I would like to advise the Deputies of some specific developments.
I have provided additional funding of €3.8 million in 2003 to the Eastern Regional Health Authority to facilitate the discharge of patients from acute hospitals to a more appropriate setting thus freeing up acute beds. The Eastern Regional Health Authority expects that more than 200 patients will be discharged from acute hospitals as a direct result of this funding. According to information that I have received from the ERHA, a total of 30 patients in Beaumont Hospital, 30 patients in the Mater Hospital, 12 patients in St. Vincent's Hospital, eight patients in St. James's Hospital, seven patients at James Connolly Hospital and five patients in Tallaght Hospital had been discharged up to 3 October 2003. Further patients have been approved for discharge from all these hospitals and the process of transferring these patients is continuing.
A total of 15 beds in St. Joseph's Hospital Raheny for use as acute rehabilitation beds are due to come on stream in November once refurbishment is complete. These additional sub-acute beds will assist in the discharge of patients from Beaumont Hospital to a more appropriate setting.
The ERHA is in discussion with the major Dublin hospitals on the possibility of re-opening a small number of their closed acute beds and use them as transitional care beds. The transitional care units will facilitate the transfer of acute patients to the community.
While there are out of hours co-operatives in all health boards at present there is only limited out of hours cover in the Northern Area Health Board. Several doctors from Balbriggan, County Dublin, have joined the North-Eastern Health Board out-of-hours co-operative NorthEastDoc. The extension of out of hours co-operatives to the remaining areas of the ERHA remains a priority for the authority.
I also understand that the ERHA intends to initiate a media campaign, involving radio, television, and print, highlighting the pressures that exist in emergency medicine departments and encouraging people to attend only if absolutely necessary. This initiative is an attempt to focus on the need for only those in need of emergency care to attend and for others to use the primary care services.
