Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I mentioned in my opening statement, significant resources have been invested in UHL over recent years. The workforce at UHL has increased by 42%, or 1,161 whole-time equivalents, since the end of 2019. It is accepted that a key part of the solution for Limerick is additional beds. Work on a new inpatient block at UHL has commenced, with the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, breaking ground on this development. The project consists of a four-storey, 96-bed acute inpatient ward and renal dialysis unit. It involves a total capital investment of just over €90 million. In addition, 98 new inpatient beds have been opened in UHL since the start of 2020. This includes a 60-bed modular ward block, which was established to provide a rapid-build interim solution to begin to address the bed capacity issues at UHL.

The Department regularly seeks assurance regarding the appropriate escalation measures for emergency department overcrowding. The HSE performance management and improvement unit continues to lead an intensive engagement with hospital in response to the Minister's concerns about the hospital. The engagement with the University of Limerick Hospitals Group and the local community healthcare organisation in the mid-west supports and oversees the implementation of rapid improvements and services in the region. These measures include a renewed focus on hospital avoidance, patient flow and discharge planning, and regular and frequent assessments of patients with long stays in hospital.

Reform of service delivery, as outlined in Sláintecare, is vital to deal with the demand. This includes the expansion of community care and other measures, providing people with the care they need outside the emergency department, and improving patient flow and discharge from hospital with more home support packages and nursing home supports. The matter of emergency department performance is under constant review by the Department of Health through ongoing engagement with the HSE. I assure Members that the Government and the Minister for Health are committed to improving emergency department performance.

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