Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the substantial increase in overcrowding in Cork University Hospital emergency department over the first four months of 2018 relative to the same period in 2017 [23514/18]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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This question relates to the overcrowding in the accident and emergency department at Cork University Hospital. Such overcrowding is not uncommon in a number of hospitals throughout the country. We have heard many harrowing stories of individuals, particularly elderly people, who have had to spend over 24 hours in accident and emergency units. They are looking for answers and for progress on this issue.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this question. Under the winter initiative, over 200 additional beds opened this winter across a range of sites, including critical care beds in Cork University Hospital, CUH. A further 30 acute medical beds are scheduled to open later this year in CUH, including two more critical care beds. In addition, CUH has been supported over the recent winter months with additional home support packages and transitional care beds to reduce delayed discharges which affect patient flow and can have an impact on congestion in emergency departments. I welcome the opening of an additional 30 acute medical beds in CUH later this year, along with two more critical care beds. In line with CUH's particular focus on addressing patient flow, it initiated a project in 2017 to improve patient flow and the patient experience. In pointing out that this project, which has continued into 2018, is having a positive impact on trolley performance, I do not mean in any way to detract from the Deputy's point about the difficulties experienced by patients, family members and staff when individuals have to spend long periods on trolleys. However, I have to show respect to the staff, and the patient flow project they have put in place in CUH, by acknowledging that in the first four months of this year, CUH had 15.3% fewer trolleys than it had in the same period in 2017. This reduction was achieved even though patient attendances at CUH's accident and emergency department increased by over 1,000, or approximately 7.8%.

Although the overall situation remains very challenging - we have much more to do - I welcome the reduction in trolley numbers that has been achieved by CUH so far this year. The local initiatives that have been put in place in CUH to improve accident and emergency department performance appear to be having a positive impact. I am in direct touch with some people in the hospital. I get updates on the patient flow project from the clinical director in CUH. I assure the House that as Minister for Health, I am committed to continuing the effort to address overcrowding in our emergency departments. I am particularly focused on the capacity of our system. The decision that was made in previous years to reduce the number of hospital beds in the Irish health service makes no sense to me. As Deputies will be aware, I have received the go-ahead to increase the number of acute hospital beds by over 2,500. I am looking at opportunities to try to front-load those beds. I will be asking each of the hospital groups, including the South/South West hospital group, to identify how many additional beds it requires. I am sure Cork will benefit from that.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I welcome any investment that improves the situation for the people of Cork and the wider Munster region who rely on the services of CUH. Perhaps the Minister could provide more detail on the 30 additional acute medical beds that are scheduled to open in CUH later this year. Those beds have the potential to be of significant benefit. I have highlighted the problems that have been encountered by many elderly people. I am informed that 330 people over the age of 75 had to wait in the accident and emergency department at CUH for more than 24 hours in the first three months of this year. I am sure the Minister will agree that this is not acceptable. I am currently dealing with a case in which an extensive home care package of over 40 hours a week has been approved for a person who is in hospital but would be far better off at home. The HSE has been unable to execute the home care package directly through HSE staff, or through private care providers, for several months now. The capacity issue in this case seems to be a real problem.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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If the Deputy wants to correspond with me, I would be grateful to get the details of the case in question. I would be happy to raise it with the HSE because we need to take a serious look at how we can reduce the number of delayed discharges in our health service. I want to see the home care packages that we are funding to help people to get back home deployed as quickly as possible. I will send the Deputy a note on the 30 further acute medical beds that are scheduled to open in CUH later this year. As I have mentioned, two additional critical care beds have been opened in the hospital in recent months. A further two critical care beds are due to open this year. An additional 32 beds - 30 acute medical beds and two critical care beds - are scheduled to open. I remind the House that we announced in the capital plan that an elective hospital will be developed in Cork. This is quite important. I appreciate that a busy acute hospital like CUH, which is dealing with pressures in its emergency department, also wants to be able to tackle its elective waiting lists. It will be of benefit to the Cork area to have a stand-alone elective-only hospital to drive down waiting lists. I look forward to making progress with this project.