Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, Minister of State and delegates from the HSE for attending today's meeting. My first question was about the HIQA report on the inhumane treatment of residents in certain HSE residential centres for adults and the reason it had not been published. I understand it has since been published following a freedom of information request. What was the difficulty around publication of that report, leading to it only being published on the basis of a freedom of information request? I received only a one line response to my written question on that matter. I am interested in hearing from the Minister why that report was not published in the first instance.

This meeting is the first opportunity we have had to engage with delegates from the HSE on the performance report since its publication in July. Uncharacteristically, accident and emergency departments were under huge pressure in July. On 1 July, there were 300 people waiting on trolleys. There has been much discussion today around what might happen in the winter months. I am interested in hearing about what happened in July that there were 300 people on trolleys. The Minister mentioned that there are 11 reasons for overcrowding. Perhaps he would elaborate in that regard. Given there were 300 people on trolleys in July, the provision of additional beds may not be the only answer to this problem.

The performance report references surgery. It also states that 95% of people presenting with an emergency fracture at Waterford hospital, which is in my constituency, are seen within 48 hours. The percentage of people likely to be seen within that timeframe in other hospitals is as low as 50% or 60%. What are the reasons for that? I am sure people having to wait more than 48 hours for treatment for a broken hip is also contributing to overcrowding in accident and emergency departments. The HSE target waiting time for a routine colonoscopy is 13 weeks. Alarmingly, the rate of achievement in this regard for Tallaght hospital is 19%; Beaumont Hospital, 25%; Tullamore hospital, 33.5%; Waterford hospital, 44%; and St. Luke's hospital, 45.4%, which may be the reason there were 300 people on trolleys in the middle in July. It frightens me to think what we are facing into this winter.

This morning I was at an outpatient clinic in University Hospital Waterford that was running two and half hours behind schedule, which put huge pressure on people working in the unit. There is something very wrong if even in the middle of July there are 300 people on trolleys.

Another issue of concern is the rate of achievement of the target of 20 weeks in respect of outpatient appointments for children. In Crumlin children's hospital, it is 49%; in Galway, it is 48%; in Letterkenny, it is 55%; and in Waterford, it is 52%, which means only 50% of children are being seen within the 20-week target. What is happening in this regard?

As I said, this report was only published in July and this is the first opportunity the committee has had to examine it. That the 95% target in respect of treatment times for hip fractures and access to routine screening is not being met within the allocated time is very serious. Equally, targets set by the HSE in respect of outpatient appointments for adults and children are not being met. Are these some of the reasons there were 300 people on trolleys in July and, if so, what are we facing into in the winter?