Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the full extent of the bed shortfall at all public hospitals here with particular reference to addressing those hospitals which have been forced to utilise hospital trolleys in lieu of beds in the past five years; her plans to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6514/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 371: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason so many public hospitals have been forced to use hospital trolleys often in corridors, to accommodate patients in the past five years; when she expects to identify the cause or causes of such lack of accommodation. [6526/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 371 together.

There has been a significant increase in acute bed capacity in recent years. The average number of in-patient beds and day places in public acute hospitals has increased by approximately 1,200 since 2001, the year of the publication of the Health Strategy.

The increase is continuing. For example, in the current year the Health Service Executive (HSE) has indicated that it will be commissioning over 100 additional beds across the following hospitals — Galway, Tullamore, St. Vincent's, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin and Wexford. We are also creating a further 1,000 public beds through the building by the private sector of private hospitals on the sites of public hospitals, thereby freeing up additional beds for public patients. The provision of the 1,000 beds will result in no direct capital cost to the Exchequer as the capital costs will be met by the private sector.

Improving the delivery of Accident and Emergency services is the Government's top priority in health. Our objectives are to reduce the numbers waiting for admission, the time spent waiting for admission, and the turnaround time for those who can be treated in A & E and do not require admission. The HSE continues to report significant improvements in the number of patients in A & E departments who are awaiting admission to an acute bed as compared with the same period last year. The average number of patients awaiting admission during December/January was more than 50% lower than the equivalent period twelve months ago.

In terms of A & E capacity the HSE has developed admission lounges at a number of hospitals in 2006 and further lounges are being fast tracked to come on-stream in 2007. These admission lounges alleviate pressure on A & E and enable patients awaiting admission to an acute hospital bed to be managed safely while preserving their right to dignity and privacy.

Last year the HSE introduced a target of 24 hours within which all patients should be admitted, following the decision to admit. This target is being achieved by the vast majority of hospitals. The HSE has announced that it will be introducing a revised target of 12 hours within which a patient should be admitted, following the decision to admit. It is also to introduce a monitoring system to record the total time patients spend in A & E departments, from the time they arrive to the time they are either discharged or admitted.

Finally, a HSE led Steering Group is reviewing our acute hospital bed requirements up to the year 2020. This review will be completed over the coming months.