Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

Figures I have for the Dublin North Hospital Group indicate that on 10 November, between Connolly Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and the Mater Hospital, a total of 117 people in acute hospital beds were in a state described as "delayed discharge". This refers to the category of patients or family requesting publicly funded long-term care beds. In the category of patients who required public residential care due to higher care or medical care needs, the equivalent figure was 46. Adding the numbers in these two categories gives a total of 163 people who, on this date, were on delayed discharge in acute hospital beds in north Dublin when they could have been in community beds — whether long-term public beds or private beds. It is crazy that acute hospital beds are being occupied by 163 people who could have been sent either to public beds or private beds. The Minister stated earlier that 110 beds are to be provided in the co-located hospital, if it ever happens, in Beaumont Hospital.

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