Dr. Colm Henry:

There is an important distinction here. We need to be very clear that when we talk about beds and surge numbers, critical care is a system of care; it is not just counting beds.

The surge figures in April involved critical care that could potentially have been delivered outside established, conventional critical care units.

With regard to the outcomes in our critical care units during the first phase, 79% of patients were discharged alive. This compares very favourably internationally, even though the patient selection was similar. The reason, according to our own critical care community, is that most of the care was delivered in established critical care units by our own staff, and not by leaning heavily into surge capacity. To go back to what my colleagues have said, what is important for us, rather than talking about surge capacity, is building up on staffed, funded intensive therapy unit beds and the associated training so we can continue to deliver those excellent outcomes.