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

We are fast-tracking beds through the allocation in recent weeks of €2 million to facilitate the 60-bed modular unit. The Deputy will be aware there has been a significant increase in the number of presentations at the accident and emergency department in University Hospital Limerick which compounds the difficulties. We have to plan ahead to try to deal with those increases. A whole suite of issues and solutions have to be taken into consideration. It is not simply a matter of providing more beds and capacity, although that is one element. We must also address delayed discharges. We had a report done on that issue at the end of last year and we now have an implementation team set up within the HSE. The terms of reference for the team are being drafted in order that it will address the issue of delayed discharges and ensure more timely discharge from hospitals. Delayed discharges contribute significantly to overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick and many other hospitals. We also have more proactive measures in Sláintecare to ensure people are treated in their communities and to reduce the numbers of presentations to accident and emergency departments. These protocols, when implemented, will impact on the University Hospital Limerick and other sites throughout the country.

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