Written answers
Thursday, 17 April 2008
Department of Health and Children
Hospital Services
5:00 pm
Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her Department audits the level of private practice in all specialties in public hospitals; and if it is done on a consultant basis. [14226/08]
Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The provision of private care in public acute hospitals is a long standing feature of the Irish healthcare system. Over 2,500 beds in public hospitals are designated as private and semi-private. A ratio of 80:20 public/private applies on average across the entire acute system. The percentage of beds designated as private varies between individual hospitals; for example, there is a higher ratio of private beds in maternity and paediatric hospitals and a lower ratio in other hospitals.
I am concerned that there are instances where the ratio of private work has far exceeded the stated bed designation. This is a matter which is central to this Government's reform programme, in particular in relation to a new hospital consultants' contract. The day to day management and monitoring of the public/private mix in acute hospitals is a matter for the Health Service Executive.
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