Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the fact that 165,293 bed days were lost in hospitals in 2007 and that 85,232 bed days were lost during the first five months of 2008; her views on the current level of critical infrastructure in respect of health services; her plans to address the rising demand for community beds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32299/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I acknowledge that the number of bed days lost in acute hospitals as a result of delayed discharges is creating particular difficulties at the moment. Hospitals need to improve their admission/treatment and discharge processes to ensure that care is provided in a more timely, appropriate and efficient manner. Steps are being taken to ensure that patients are given an expected date of discharge within 24 hours of admission and that more patients are discharged at weekends. A new Code of Practice on Discharge Planning is also being introduced across the country.

With regard to health sector infrastructure, we have seen an unprecedented level of investment in recent years under two National Development Plans. Total expenditure under the earlier NDP 2000-2006 was in the order of €3.3 billion, while the NDP 2007-2013 provides for a further €5 billion capital investment under the Health Infrastructure Programme. This year, the capital provision for the health service is €720 million.

In relation to community services, the HSE, commissioned Prospectus to undertake a Needs Assessment of bed capacity requirements in the areas of long-stay, dementia-specific and respite care beds for the period 2006-2036. The report indicated, among other issues, the uneven distribution of beds between and within regions. The HSE is planning to provide an extra 860 public beds under the Fast Track Bed Initiative over the period 2007-2009. The latest information received from the HSE indicates that 188 beds of these beds were provided in 2007, 325 are to be provided in 2008 and 347 in 2009. This additional capacity will help to improve access for patients and provide a basis for more timely discharges.