Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 105: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to concerns expressed at the recent IMO conference that surgeons and anaesthetists are regularly arriving at work to find that there is no work for them due to bed shortages; the steps she is taking to address this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15323/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I am aware of many issues raised at the recent IMO conference, which I attended, including the question of investment in new acute beds. On foot of the commitment in the health strategy, funding has been provided to open an additional 900 inpatient beds and day places in acute hospitals. Health agencies have informed my Department that, on 6 May 2005, 780 beds were in place. The Health Service Executive has informed my Department that the remaining 120 beds will come on stream during 2005.

Additional revenue funding of €70 million and additional capital funding of €10 million has been provided to support the actions identified to improve the delivery of accident and emergency services. The Health Service Executive, or HSE, has been charged with responsibility to implement the actions identified in the ten-point plan for accident and emergency services. Additional actions are needed which relate more to the management, work practices and processes in hospitals. Those too will be addressed by the Health Service Executive.

Increasing the capacity of acute hospitals through the measures contained in the ten-point action plan and through the capital investment framework will enable hospitals to carry out, in a planned way, scheduled elective treatment which will fully utilise the facilities and staff in the hospital.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 106: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the forward planning arrangements which are in place in her Department to assess and provide for increased acute hospital needs in line with projected population increases in fast-developing areas in Dublin and surrounding counties. [15246/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 178: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of extra hospital beds required to bring the bed complement up to international norms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15697/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 178 together.

My Department carried out a detailed study of acute hospital bed requirements up to 2011, and published Acute Hospitals Bed Capacity — a National Review in January 2002. The study examined current bed capacity and activity in acute hospitals and developed a framework for estimating future acute hospital capacity requirements. The study took account of current service pressures, projected increases in total population, the rise in the number of older people, increasing demand for services and potential changes in clinical practice. The study highlighted the need to expand hospital services for public patients.

In the health strategy, the Government committed itself to improve access for public patients. That is to be achieved through a series of measures, for example, funding has been provided to open an additional 900 in-patient beds and day places in acute hospitals throughout the country — 720 are in place, and the remainder will come on stream before the end of 2005. My Department is exploring the scope that exists for the private sector to provide additional bed capacity, and the national treatment purchase fund has been established to source treatment in the private sector for public patients waiting longest for treatment. The fund had arranged treatment for 27,000 public patients up to the end of March 2005.

Following the establishment of the Health Service Executive, responsibility for the preparation of plans regarding new acute hospital facilities, including the provision of additional capacity, now rests with the National Hospitals Office.