Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 November 2012
625. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if any hospitals in the Louth Meath Hospital group are currently running deficits; the current deficit in each of the hospitals; the projected deficit at the end of the year; if any of these hospitals are making use of an overdraft facility; the details of the overdraft facility in each case [49733/12]
View answerIn the current economic climate, the acute sector must reduce its costs in order to deliver the agreed level of activity within the resources available to it. In terms of service delivery, we must concentrate on getting the best possible services for patients from the budgets available to us. This means we need to focus on how beds are used, on the throughput of patients, on reducing length of stay to international norms and on having as many procedures as possible carried out as day cases rather than inpatient work, thus maximising also the efficient usage of operating theatre facilities. In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him in relation to those matters.
