Written answers
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Department of Health
Hospital Bed Data
Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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1048. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the current provision of only three neuro-rehabilitative beds; if he is satisfied with the current waiting period of over a year to access one of these beds, with a maximum usage period of only three months; the basis on which the provision of three beds was decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13126/14]
Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The National Rehabilitation Hospital is currently resourced for 3 beds for patients with highly complex care needs, for example patients who are minimally conscious or have a disorder of consciousness. The level of resources needed to provide for the complex care and treatment needs of this patient group is significantly higher than for patients who have a certain level of mobility or independence. The treatment of these patients can often be extended beyond the normal length of stay. The National Rehabilitation Hospital actively manages the waiting time for admission to the high intensity rehabilitation beds.
The Government has committed to part funding a 120 Bed Rehabilitation Unit with Integrated Therapy spaces to replace the existing National Rehabilitation Hospital, at an estimated total cost of €54 million. In the past couple of years an additional four new Consultants in Rehabilitation Medicine were appointed to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in addition to the existing seven Consultants at the hospital.
The HSE has made commitments in the 2014 Operational Plan to progressing the implementation of the Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy. A Steering Group has been established to guide the implementation of the Strategy and to ensure adequate links with the Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine Programme.
Reinhard Schaler
Posted on 8 Apr 2014 11:30 am (Report this comment)
This answer does not address the question of whether the Minister is satisfied "with the current waiting period of over a year to access one of these (three) beds, with a maximum usage period of only three months; the basis on which the provision of three beds was decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter." - The first paragraph is a statement of fact. The second paragraph states that an old facility is replaced with a new one (with the same number of beds) and that there are now 11 Rehab Consultants in the whole country. The third paragraph omits to mention that the Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy in place will only allow cost-neutral changes.
"Even if we had 50 (rehab consultants) we would still have the lowest number per captain Europe, with the exception of the UK. And if it increased to 150, we would still be behind countries like Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Croatia, and Serbia" (NAI Chairman, Chris Macey, 2013).
"Even when we make recommendations about staffing levels and numbers of in-patient beds we are told that we are reaching for the stars and we are not: we are actually reaching for the bottom." (National Director of Clinical Strategy and Programmes with the HSE, Dr Áine Carroll, 2011).
Speaking on the launch video for the RED CARD campaign, supported by members of the Dublin GAA team, Emma Rogan, a young person with multiple sclerosis, said: “As a young person with a neurological condition in Ireland I am afraid for my future. People have said to me that the best thing you can do if you are diagnosed with a neurological condition in this country is to emigrate”.
Pádraig Schaler (www.caringforpadraig.org) had to go to Germany to receive treatment that, his parents were told by German specialists, was required immediately; that a waiting time of several months was 'unethical' and 'grotesque'.
In the meantime, the Minister, the Department of Health, and the HSE are quoting their strategy papers. Do they understand the notion of 'duty of care', do they feel any human compassion and urge to help? It's if it wasn't them, but some report-writer that was in charge of this "broken health system" (James Reilly at the recent FG Ardh Feis).