Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Given the recent history, people in an acute hospital are naturally reluctant to be discharged to long-term residential care. That is now more true than ever. A particular problem arises with discharges. Elderly people are sent back to live with other elderly people. Someone who is cocooning will worry that somebody coming from the hospital may have coronavirus. It has become very difficult to discharge elderly people from acute hospitals. That will add to the pressure on emergency departments. Is there a plan to do something at the community level to allow elderly patients to be discharged so they are not stuck in beds in the acute hospital?

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