Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes, I agree with the analysis by the Deputy. It is not about simply providing more home care, outpatients, operating theatres or diagnostics. We have got to look at the entire patient pathway. Can they get to the GP quick enough? Can the GP refer to a consultant or, better still, is there an intermediary, like an advance nurse practitioner scheme that we have seen treat and discharge between 70% and 80% of patients who, in many cases, would have had to wait to see a consultant? Do the consultants have the outpatient facilities that they need? Do the consultants and GPs have access to the diagnostics that they need?

When someone is scheduled for a procedure we must ask the following. Can we get the operating theatre space? Can we get the day space? Can we get the diagnostics on the day? Can we get the recovery bed? Is the critical care capacity there, if needed? Are the ward beds there? Is there an option to discharge? Are there stepdown or rehabilitation beds? Can home care packages be put in place? We have found that in different parts of the country it is different things. We have a very comprehensive level of investment right across all of that to make sure that more and more patients get seen.

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