A&E units disastrous, says Ahern

PATIENTS in hospitals find A&E units to be disastrous, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern acknowledged yesterday.

However, Mr Ahern did not give a commitment to provide the funding required to open up the €450 million worth of new hospital facilities lying idle.

Coming under sustained questioning from opposition party leaders, the Taoiseach said it was a fact there were particular problems in accident and emergency departments and this was where the main focus now lay.

"In all surveys of patients, they say that, by and large, they find the hospital service excellent but the accident and emergency departments fairly disastrous, though not in all areas of the country. That is the challenge," he said.

But Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the Government's management of the health service was shameful and he listed off a ream of facilities that were empty due to a lack of funding:

Cork University Hospital: €16m hi-tech A&E unit.

James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Dublin: €96m wing.

Ballymun, Dublin: €48m health centre.

South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel: €24m surgical wing.

Mayo General Hospital: €10.5m orthopedic unit.

Letterkenny General Hospital: oncology and maternity unit.

Mullingar General Hospital: observation ward

Birr: €2.8m 90-bed elderly care unit.

Sligo General Hospital: medical assessment unit.

Mr Ahern said additional beds had been opened in an effort to eliminate the problems and now the Government had to find out exactly whether it is a matter of simply having more beds. "I do not like the term 'bed blockers', but it means that there are people who, owing to the lack of stand-down facilities, cannot go home or get alternative accommodation, instead staying in acute hospitals longer than they normally would," he said.

Stating that it was a question of changing some of the systems, Mr Ahern said there were accident and emergency units everywhere and all well staffed.

"If it is a question of resources and more staff, we will have to see what we can do. The Minister (for Health) has identified the hospitals and the areas and tried to eliminate those problems," he said.

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin called on the Taoiseach to indicate the immediate and effective measures he would take to address the crisis in the health service.