Ms Averil Power:

That is something that we are also particularly concerned about. It is no longer just about the winter surge; however, at the time of the winter surge, we see directives from the HSE to hospitals asking them to do everything possible and cancel all elective procedures to prioritise the ED. We do not want to see anyone languishing on a trolley in an ED, but an effective way to run a health service is not to cancel everything other than ED care because a solution to the ED surge has not been figured out.