Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her Department's policy with regard to the general public access to accident and emergency departments; the average waiting period in accident and emergency in a Dublin hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11818/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services, including responsibility for the collection of data on hospital activity, is a matter for the Health Service Executive. My Department has, therefore, requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the question raised with regard to the average waiting period in a Dublin hospital Accident and Emergency Department.

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 Health Service Executive 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 March is 59% lower than the equivalent period twelve months ago.

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 is working closely with the small number of hospitals who are continuing to experience difficulties to assist them in reaching this target. 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. The HSE 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.