Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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93. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to provide a resolution to the issue of patients on trolleys in major hospitals here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42747/14]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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What are the Minister's plans to provide a resolution to the issue of patients on trolleys in our major hospitals? Since August, despite all the talk, and despite all the PR for the past three years, the number of patients on trolleys has increased by 19%. Nationally, that means the number has increased from 3,913 to 4,648. Will the Minister deal with this scandal of patients being on trolleys for 24 to 36 hours? It is an absolute disgrace. We need action and not more talk or waffle.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Department and the HSE both believe that trolley waits are an unacceptable feature of the Irish health care system which must be addressed. Figures for 7 November show that compared to the baseline year of 2011, there are 32.3% fewer patients on trolleys, equivalent to 24,851 patients. However compared to 2013, there are 3.1% more patients on trolleys. This is equivalent to 1,559 additional patients. Performance in this area occurs against a background of a population which is experiencing significant ageing with those over 80 years increasing by some 4% annually.

I am advised by the HSE that it is introducing a range of measures to minimise the numbers of patients waiting on trolleys. The special delivery unit is working with hospitals to improve access times to appropriate care and to reduce length of stay for key conditions. New pathways of care continue to be introduced to improve patient flow through hospitals including minor injury, medical assessment and surgical assessment units and specific pathways for frail older people.

This work is supported and facilitated through the clinical programmes and the involvement of senior clinical decision makers at all stages of the patient journey. The special delivery unit is also working with the hospital groups to maximise capacity to accept emergency department patients by ensuring that appropriate activity is performed at each individual site. An in-depth review of individual sites is due to commence within the next month, which should lead to a sustainable improvement.

The Government has also provided additional funding of €25 million in 2015 to address delayed discharges. This funding will be targeted at hospital and community services which can demonstrate initiatives to address specific needs of delayed discharge patients most positively and therefore improve timeliness for admissions from emergency departments and waiting lists.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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The Minister referred to sustainable improvement. Currently, there are 700 people fit for discharge in our hospitals and a resolution of that issue would help to alleviate this crisis.

However, the other issue is trolleys being moved up the wards to cover up and massage the figures. That is not acceptable and it is not an example of good practice. Acute hospital beds cost approximately €1,000 each and, therefore, cost effectiveness is an issue in the context of the number of trolleys. The Minister needs to up his game. We need less spin and we need to get people off trolleys and out of our accident and emergency departments. We also need to provide a quality health service, which is the real issue. We have been conned about these figures over the past three and a half years. Deputy Varadkar is the new Minister and he has the opportunity to up his game and deal with the real issues.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I would like to correct one of the Deputy's comments. We are not moving patients on trolleys up the wards to massage the numbers.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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That is not what we are told.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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It is well known.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Then the Deputies are not being told the truth. I will be happy to inform them if they care to listen.

We move people on trolleys up to the wards to reduce overcrowding in accident and emergency departments but they are counted in the figures. The HSE figures that are produced include people on trolleys on ordinary wards. This is not being done to massage figures because they are in the figures.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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If the Minister visits a hospital, there will not be anyone on a trolley. Patients will be moved while he is there. That is what is done when Ministers visit hospitals. The nurses will tell the Minister that, and the same happened with the former Minister. When he visited a hospital, patients on trolleys were moved.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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It is being done to get them out of the accident and emergency departments and to reduce overcrowding. I would be happy to give the Deputies more information but they are not interested in knowing the facts and, therefore, I will not bother.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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We want a straight answer.