Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have noted all of them. I will be chairing the implementation group involving the Department and the HSE to address the issue of delayed discharges and determine what solutions we can come up with. I will certainly take on board each suggestion made by the Deputy. It is an absolute fact that, in a budget that is finite, we do not have endless resources for the health service. If €1 million was to be put into Nenagh General Hospital, as opposed to University Hospital Limerick, how much value for money would we achieve in a model 2 hospital? By how much would turnaround times improve? How many more patients would be seen? How many more procedures could be carried out? How many more beds could be freed up in University Hospital Limerick at the same time? There are numerous models such as transitional care, of which I am a big supporter. I have not seen actuarial evidence, but it has been said anecdotally that it could cost up to €7,000 per week to keep somebody in an acute bed and €1,000 per week to keep him or her in a community bed. When it comes to the mathematics, it is not rocket science. Patients do not need to be in acute hospitals for as long as they are. They need to be moved on in a timely manner. If there is no home care package available for them, for whatever reason, placing them in the community setting is a far more ideal option.

Of course, extending the opening hours of the medical assessment unit and the minor injuries unit and making them more accessible would be beneficial. However, there are protocols. We have to work with the National Ambulance Service on where patients are carried to. We must also consider the referral pathway with general practitioners. As we renegotiate the finer details of the GP contract, we need to rely less on emergency departments. Even nursing homes can over-rely on the emergency department. We need to ensure healthcare workers receive the flu vaccine to avoid outbreaks of flu. The Deputy is a big supporter of this. Flu outbreaks cause chaos in emergency departments at peak times.

We intend to implement numerous measures to ensure better health service delivery for those who require it. I thank the Deputy for his constructive and supportive proposals. It is very easy to diagnose problems, but we need to focus more on solutions.

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