LIAM WOODS,
Madam, - I regret that I was not afforded an opportunity to comment on the sweeping statement in yesterday's Irish Times by Mr Finbarr Fitzpatrick, secretary general of the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association, that he had "yet to meet anyone who has said the ERHA has added one bit to the efficiency or quality of the health services of the greater Dublin area".
While the ERHA's new way of doing business by evidence-based planning, buying, evaluating and monitoring rather than funding services may not be to Mr Fitzpatrick's liking, the record shows that the authority, working with a small and extremely hard-working staff, has brought about major improvements in the health and personal social services for people not only from the eastern region but from all over the country.
Our role in planning, monitoring and evaluation has for a long time been recommended in the Irish health system and is now being delivered effectively within the eastern region. The work we are already doing in planning, monitoring and evaluation has been flagged in the National Health Strategy for development nationally and as key to achieving service levels and public accountability in future.
The ERHA works in partnership with 39 organisations to deliver quality people-centred health and social services to almost 1.5 million people in the eastern region and the very many from outside the region who come to the capital for healthcare.
There has been an increasing investment in health in the region to provide better services and to cater for the very large increase in the number of people seeking services here. In the two-and-a-half years since the ERHA's establishment there has been a significant increase in the number of people treated and cared for in the eastern region. Innovative treatments have resulted in significantly improved outcomes and there had been a large increase in numbers treated.
Our region has the highest birth rate in the EU, an increasing life expectancy and a dramatic rise in the number of over-75s and those coming to live here from overseas. Over the past six years the population of the east has increased by almost half a million.
This year there will be approximately 2 million attendances at acute hospitals in the east (over 30,000 additional patients were treated), the numbers waiting for hospital admission decreased and day cases were up by over 15 per cent.
The number of patients receiving orthodontic treatment increased by 18 per cent. Two new community nursing units for older people were opened, extended care is now provided in over 2,200 beds in hospitals and homes and over 3,000 beds in private nursing homes were either fully or partially subvented. There has been an increase of over 13 per cent in the number of addiction treatment places and the number on the waiting list for methadone treatment has decreased by almost a quarter since 2001.
A new €100 million hospital has been opened in Naas, a new hospital is almost completed in Blanchardstown, a €340 million development at Eccles Street will see new beds and facilities for the Mater and a new children's hospital to replace Temple Street. Meanwhile, a new state-of-the art multi-million euro hospital is being developed on the campus of St Vincent's University Hospital, the A&E department is being developed at St James's, St Columcille's Hospital is being upgraded and a €34 million development has been approved at Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin.
As a result of a review we carried out into accident and emergency services an additional 10 A E consultants were appointed for the region and minor injuries units opened to take the pressure off A&E departments. Following a bed capacity review we have received funding this year from the Department of Health and Children to open 300 additional acute beds. We have recently carried out a review of contract beds to establish equity of access to these beds for older persons.
I would like to pay tribute to our own staff, who have shown remarkable dedication to improving the services for people generally and have gone about their work with efficiency and enthusiasm.
Our objective is to work closely with organisations and staff in the region to ensure high standards in health and social services. In this context we see ourselves working in partnership with unions and associations such as the IHCA. - Yours, etc.,
LIAM WOODS,
Deputy Chief Executive,
Eastern Regional
Health Authority,
Mill Lane,
Palmerstown,
Dublin 20.