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

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I know that for many years he has been a strong advocate for health issues, particularly for developing and supporting the services at Naas General Hospital.

The Minister for Health acknowledges the difficulties overcrowded EDs cause to patients, their families and front-line staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country. For the first ten months of 2019, the number of patients attending hospital EDs nationally increased by 2.7% and the number of ED admissions increased by 1% compared with the same period last year.

In October 2019, the number of patients subject to a delayed transfer of care was 16% higher than the same month last year. The Deputy is, therefore, correct. Between January and October 2019, the number of patients recorded as waiting on trolleys at 8 a.m. in Naas General Hospital ED was 3,733, a decrease of 0.2% compared with the same period last year. As of last week, there were 21 patients with delayed transfers of care in the hospital compared with ten for the same week last year.

The HSE winter plan for 2019-20, launched by the HSE on 14 November, seeks to address the challenges of overcrowded EDs and the current high numbers of delayed transfers of care in our acute hospitals. The aim of the winter plan is to ensure that service providers are prepared for the additional external pressures associated with the winter period. The increased pressures include a prolonged holiday period, severe winter weather, seasonal influenza, the spread of norovirus and other healthcare associated infections.

Nine winter action teams, WATs, each aligned to a community healthcare organisation, CHO, and associated acute hospital and hospital group, have prepared integrated winter plans that will focus on demand management and reduction, staffing availability, timely access to the most appropriate care pathway for patients, and appropriate timely discharge from acute hospitals. These integrated winter plans have supported the development of a single overarching strategic-level winter plan for the HSE. The integrated winter plan for Naas General Hospital will be delivered by WAT 7, whose membership includes the CEO of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, the chief officer of CHO 7, and the CEO of Naas General Hospital.

The winter plan is supported by an additional €26 million in winter funding nationally. This funding will support social care measures and local WAT initiatives to improve patient experience times in EDs. Funding for social care will support access to the fair deal, increase home support hours, and provide additional transitional care to facilitate timely discharge from acute hospitals and free up beds for patients awaiting admission.

There has been a consistent increase in the number of staff in the HSE in recent years with approximately 10,000 more staff working in the HSE than in the same period three years ago. Naas General Hospital employed 747 whole-time equivalents, WTEs, in October 2019.

This is an increase of 13 WTEs since the same period last year. The Minister for Health is confident that together with the more immediate measures being undertaken under the winter plan and the strategic approach undertaken by the Government under Sláintecare, progress will be made in addressing the difficulties in the emergency departments. I accept the points made by the Deputy and I will bring them back to the Minister

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