Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Michael Harty for raising this very important issue. I also thank him for his own contribution in the broader area of health. He has made many sensible and practical proposals, particularly in recent years. I welcome the opportunity to address the issues he has raised.

The Minister for Health acknowledges the distress caused by crowded emergency departments to patients, their families and front-line staff working in very challenging conditions in hospitals throughout the country. Hospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that increase in the winter months. According to the provisional data more than 93,000 patients have been reported as waiting on trolleys across the acute hospital system to date in 2018.

This reflects the increasing demand for unscheduled care so far this year, especially among patients in the 75 and over age group. However, it is important to put the trolley figures in context. More than one million people have attended our emergency departments so far this year. From May to October 2018 there was a consistent improvement in trolley figures when compared to the same months in 2017.

The Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, has welcomed today’s publication of the HSE winter plan 2018-2019 which will run from 1 December 2018 to 31 March 2019. The Government has committed significant resources to assist the health services across the winter period and the publication of the HSE service plan outlining how those funds will be spent is to be welcomed.

The Department of Health has been working with the HSE throughout the year to ensure the most effective response to the pressures on our hospital system associated with the winter period. As part of that process, integrated winter preparedness plans have been developed by hospital groups and community healthcare organisations to meet the anticipated surge in demand for healthcare services during the winter months. The plan will run until 31 March 2019 and includes a period of focused action from 17 December to 13 January on nine key hospital sites and their associated community healthcare organisations. Improved integrated working and enhanced community supports are central to the focus period. Bed capacity and home supports are being increased over the winter period.

This is a new and innovative approach by the HSE which seeks to build on the learnings from previous winters and the success in handling major events this year. Importantly, the plan optimises the use of existing resources and provides an alternative to emergency departments for patients, including extended opening hours and expanded services at local injury units, minor injury units and key primary care centres.

A central component of the plan which is already under way is the provision of an additional 550 homecare packages over the winter period to help patients return home from hospital with the supports they need. The winter plan will also seek to increase capacity in the first quarter of 2019. The national service plan 2019 will identify the sites for investment and the associated number of beds as well as the agreed capacity programme for 2019.

These initiatives will increase the number of available inpatient beds in the acute hospital system to more than 11,000, a level last seen in 2009. While I accept that the coming months will be very challenging, this plan represents a system-wide response to this challenge across the health service. It will be led at national and local levels by integrated teams representing community and hospital services.

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