Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Other targeted initiatives include updating the bed management system and processes with a focus on improved discharge planning, reducing inappropriate referrals from GPs to emergency departments, reducing admissions with the duty medical registrar deciding on admissions, standardising assessment processes and enhancing diagnostic capacity.

The initiatives I have described are designed to free up capacity during 2008 to allow for more timely admissions to emergency departments and further movement towards a lower target of six hours waiting time from the decision to admit.

This is the aspiration and we hope to achieve it. I note the very strong case Deputy Higgins has made regarding the number of patients on trolleys in University College Hospital, Galway, and the number of nurses who deal with the waiting patients. I do not doubt his assertion that two nurses deal with 96 patients. I will bring his strongly held views to both the Minister and the Health Service Executive shortly. I am anxious to ensure this situation is resolved.

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