Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is my understanding that University Hospital Limerick has the largest capital investment programme at the moment in terms of new projects that are in the pipeline. The Minister has indicated that to me. Much of that has to happen. As the Deputy knows, work on the new €90 million project, consisting of a 96-bed inpatient block and renal dialysis unit, commenced in October 2022. The Government also committed to the delivery of a second 96-bed inpatient block at University Hospital Limerick. That will make a difference. An additional 150 beds have been opened in the UL Hospitals Group since 1 January 2020, 98 of which are in UHL itself. The €2 million purpose-built injury unit at Ennis hospital opened in April 2022. The number of whole-time equivalent staff has gone up to well over 1,000. The budget in 2022 was 19% higher than in 2019. A new geriatric emergency medicine unit was opened, with a focus on preventing emergency department attendance and admissions for those aged over 75. New plans were announced to make UHL one of the five regional scheduled care hubs. There has also been work in Croom orthopaedic hospital to take pressure off theatres, wards and clinical areas.

In respect of accident and emergency departments generally, it is my view that there needs to be a focus not just on resource allocation but also on the organisation of emergency medicine in the country. That has to happen at hospital level and there has to be whole-of-hospital involvement in emergency medicine, with all the departments and disciplines, if you like, working to take over cases within emergency departments and, likewise, within the HSE itself. Very often, the emergency department becomes the focal point of public outcry and anger because, as the Deputy said, for many people, it is the first port of call in respect of their experience of hospitals. We have developed many alternative care pathways, from first responders through to primary care, enhanced community care and medical assessment units. Ultimately, in all care, the sooner we get the patient to the person who can meaningfully treat that patient with the requisite qualifications, the better. It is my view that, to a certain extent, and this has been going on for a number of years, the unrelenting focus on accident and emergency departments sometimes misses the point of the broader hospital environment and the broader reform agenda that is required.

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