Results 521-540 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In addition, in many of these hospitals large capital works are taking place. The reality is that there are different arrangements in different hospitals for accident and emergency units. Some hospitals do not have these difficulties but all the large hospitals do. We have to try as best we can——

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——to provide beds in private care so patients who are on trolleys can be admitted. With regard to hygiene, I hope Deputy Kenny is not correct about the extent of the problem. I accept his point that it is always better to act before the winter when the issue of flu becomes more difficult. Large resources are, and always have been, put into cleaning in our hospitals. We will ensure that...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am aware of the problem and I have been aware of it for 30 years.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: With the onset of the winter period there is always pressure on accident and emergency departments. There are now more acute difficulties and there are many reasons for that. The Mater Hospital and other hospitals have always had a difficulty in their accident and emergency departments. Many things have happened in the past seven years. There are now 900 more beds in the system.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In the recent past we have been putting in dedicated facilities, including staff at consultant, medical and nursing level. In the Mater Hospital, which has been the subject of discussion in recent days, the project of upgrading the accident and emergency department by the ERHA has been completed. The facilities include a dedicated triage area, a new resuscitation area and a wound care area....

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: However, the most immediate issue, which we have been addressing for months, is to provide as many places as possible for stand-down facilities, in the most appropriate circumstances for patients who, for one reason or another, do not need an acute hospital but are not in a position to return home. We can provide for them nursing home and care hospitals appropriate to their medical needs and...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am talking about this week. The Government is this week trying to enhance those facilities and trying to provide more beds so that patients can move from acute care, when they do not need it, to stand-down beds.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Some 520 patients have already been discharged and work is ongoing to facilitate the discharge of more patients. That is the current position, not a plan for the future. More than 1.2 million people are treated in our accident and emergency departments, a much higher figure than ever dealt with before. A greatly increased number of consultants are meeting, dealing with and assessing patients....

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: All of these facilities are in place. While there is a longer-term plan to have 3,000 beds, 900 are in place. Longer-term developments are ongoing at James Connolly Memorial Hospital and at hospitals in Naas, south Tipperary, Roscommon and elsewhere, including at the Mater Hospital.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The provisions to which I refer have been in place since the summer and show we are addressing this issue.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to my reference to the past 30 years, during the busy time of year for the medical system in Europe, there is never a period without problems in accident and emergency. What is needed is to try to quickly provide the best facilities within accident and emergency, and the best discharge policies compatible with the patient's medical and family needs. That is precisely what we are...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Some 900 beds were provided of the 3,000 beds which were to be provided over a decade. Deputy Sargent will agree that this target was based on the professional assessment of all involved in the health sector.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is a third of what was to be provided over a decade. The long-term aim is for more beds, which is already happening.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is happening at hospitals at Temple Street, Castlebar, Limerick, Cork University, Naas and James Connolly Memorial.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte asked me about the short-term facilities. We have already announced a package for this and the facilities are opening. However, a current problem exists. Not everywhere but in a number of locations, there is a requirement to better operate the accident and emergency discharge policy-——

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——so that patients in beds who do not require intensive, specialist acute care are moved to an appropriate location in accordance with their medical needs.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In private nursing homes.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Some 520 patients have been discharged to date. The Department of Health and Children has already identified the areas where we can find more spare capacity. That must be matched by the doctors and medical staff being happy that the patients they discharge — it is not just a question of moving them — are discharged compatible with the medical needs and family circumstances of the...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In addition, we provided many initiatives over the summer, as I stated we would——

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——and appointed additional nurses, doctors, consultants and stand-down facilities. This is not a plan; it happened last summer.