Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy McDonald is wrong when she says that the waiting lists are worse than ever. This morning, according to the HSE TrolleyGAR system there were 388 on trolleys which, although it represents a reduction of 10% on the figure for the same day last year, is still too high. Trolley numbers remain a significant concern. There are hospital pressures today in Kilkenny, Drogheda, Portlaoise, Mullingar and the special delivery unit of the HSE is monitoring these sites and providing the support to the system that is needed.

Everybody is aware that more money than ever is being pumped into the health system. We should not decry the good and progressive work that is being carried on in so many hospitals by many medical personnel. People who have been through the system are very complimentary of the treatment they received. I accept there are pressures, some of which are the result of referrals to hospitals when the system is blocked up. I made the point earlier to Deputy Seán Barrett that we are building many primary care units around the country, the objective of which is to ensure that people do not have to go to hospital in the first instance. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has spoken of the urgent need to agree a new contact with general practitioners. I understand that the current contract has been in place for many years.

Deputy McDonald is incorrect in her statement today in respect of the number of patients on trolleys. I admit the numbers in this regard are too high but they have improved. Deputy Howlin asked the important question of whether anybody is being held responsible for this. The Minister has written to all of the line managers in the hospitals in regard to their responsibility, following acceptance of the HSE proposition and more money than ever being pumped into the system, to stay on budget. As the Deputy will be aware, there can be no further supplementary budgets in the course of a year. The winter initiative is an important element and €40 million has been put into it to help reduce delayed discharges, which have reduced from a high of 659 in early 2016 to less than 500. The HSE has exceeded the target in terms of the number of delayed discharges nationally, which stood at 464 on 10 January last and stands at 388 today. The Minister meets on a regular basis with HSE senior personnel on these issues.

As all Members are aware, difficulties arise in the health service at particular times, be it in regard to medical cards, orthopaedic services and so on. Many of our older hospitals need serious injections of capital to bring them up to standard. I hope that this can happen following the evolution of the hospital groups into hospital trusts such that people can make decisions about what we want in a country in which there will be 1 million more people in the next 20 years. Every year, 20,000 people in this country pass the age of 65, which means that in the time ahead more people will require care and attention in the community, home care packages and hospital, respite and palliative care and so on. There is a very heavy programme of work ahead for the next 15 to 20 years. It is for this reason the Minister, Deputy Harris, is adamant that we should have agreement at least among politicians here on a ten-year programme in terms of the big decisions that will have to be made in the future. Despite that billions of pounds pumped into the UK National Health Service, NHS, the headlines in Britain in terms of its health services, are the same as they are here, with very trenchant views being expressed.

The Minister, Deputy Harris, is monitoring the situation and is working closely with the HSE and medical personnel to improve the lot of patients who have to avail of our health services. We should be very proud of our service such that in cases where it is first class it is deemed so. I accept that there are problems in terms of the layout of some of our emergency departments. I also understand that in terms of the new emergency department at Wexford layout is not an issue.

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