S.I. No. 135/1991:

HEALTH SERVICES (IN-PATIENT) REGULATIONS, 1991.

HEALTH SERVICES (IN-PATIENT) REGULATIONS, 1991.

The Minister for Health in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 55 of the Health Act, 1970 (No. 1 of 1970 ) as amended by section 6 of the Health (Amendment) Act, 1991 , hereby makes the following Regulations:--

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health Services (In-Patient) Regulations, 1991.

(2) In these Regulations--

"Private patient" means a person deemed not to have full eligibility or limited eligibility for in-patient services under Section 52 of the Health Act, 1970 , as amended by Section 5 of the Health (Amendment) Act, 1991 .

"Public patient" means a person deemed to have full eligibility or limited eligibility for in-patient services under Section 52 of the Health Act, 1970 , as amended by Section 5 of the Health (Amendment) Act, 1991 .

"Elective admission" means non-emergency admission.

"Emergency admission" means an admission certified as an emergency admission by a registered medical practitioner who has responsibility for the admission of in-patients.

"Designated public bed" means a bed designated to be public accommodation for the admission of public patients for the purposes of Section 52 of the Health Act, 1970 .

"Designated private bed" means a bed designated to be private accommodation for the admission of private patients for the purposes of Section 55 of the Health Act, 1970 .

"Non-designated beds" means a bed other than a designated public bed or a designated private bed.

(3) No private patient being admitted as an in-patient to a hospital as an elective admission shall be accommodated in a designated public bed.

(4) No public patient being admitted as an in-patient to a hospital as an elective admission shall be accommodated in a designated private bed.

(5) No private patient being admitted as an in-patient to a hospital as an emergency admission shall be accommodated in a designated public bed unless (and only for such time as) a designated private bed is not available.

(6) No public patient being admitted as an in-patient to a hospital as an emergency admission shall be accommodated in a designated private bed unless (and only for such time as) a designated public bed is not available.

(7) These Regulations shall not apply to the accommodation of patients in non-designated beds.

(8) (i) A hospital providing services under Sections 52 and 55 of the Health Act, 1970 , shall designate every bed (other than non-designated beds) as a designated public bed or a designated private bed and upon such designation notify or cause to be notified, the Minister.

(ii) The designation of public beds or of private beds within each hospital for the purposes of Sections 52 and 55 of the Health Act, 1970 , shall be subject to the direction and approval of the Minister for Health.

(9) (i) Notwithstanding Article 3 of these Regulations a private patient being admitted as an in-patient to a hospital as an elective admission may be accommodated in a designated public bed during the period from 1st June, 1991 to 1st June, 1994 with the consent of the Minister.

(ii) Notwithstanding Article 4 of these Regulations a public patient being admitted as an in-patient to a hospital as an elective admission may be accommodated in a designated private bed during the period from 1st June, 1991 to 1st June, 1994 with the consent of the Minister.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health this 1st day of June, 1991.

RORY O'HANLON

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations specify the manner in which a person may avail of his/her entitlement to public in-patient services and the manner in which health boards may make in-patient services available to consultants' private patients.

The Regulations also provide for the designation of beds, with the approval of the Minister, for the purposes of the Regulations.