Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1967 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report - Appropriation Accounts 1965 - 1966

APPENDIX IX.

INCREASED EXPENDITURE BY WATERFORD HEALTH AUTHORITY IN 1965/66 AS COMPARED WITH 1964/65 ON MEDICINES USED IN INSTITUTIONS OTHER THAN MENTAL HOSPITALS.

It is understood from Waterford Health Authority that the above-average increase in expenditure under this heading in 1965-66 was due mainly to the following factors:—

(1) Tuberculosis Clinics were transferred to Ardkeen Hospital in 1965-66. The costs of drugs used in the clinics are charged to the Hospital Accounts and amounted to £3,500 in 1965-66.

(2) In 1965-66 an arrangement was introduced whereby patients eligible for Services who had received hospital treatment were, on discharge, given a supply of medicines to complete their courses. The health authority are unable to indicate precisely the additional expenditure involved in this arrangement in 1965-66, but they estimate that it was not less than £3,500.

(Increase in cost of Medicines in Waterford institutions (other than Mental Hospital) was over 75%, i.e. £12,300—from £16,800 to £29,100. The over-all increase—all Health Authority institutions, was from £522,000 to £572,000, i.e. less than 10%. If the £7,000 accounted for above is disregarded the Waterford increase would be from £16,800 to £22,100, i.e. £5,300 or 30% approximately).

(Signed) P. S. Ó MUIREADHAIGH,

18 Aibreán, 1967.

Department of Health.