Results 3,781-3,800 of 26,350 for speaker:David Cullinane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: My problem, if I can make this point, Chair, is that we have the Minister making these big announcements, which are great, that we are going to have all of this additional capacity. We have hospitals which tell us they are waiting for capacity. We have 1,200 beds that are funded. We have hundreds of beds not delivered, and we are being told it is because we cannot get the staff and there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I was not talking about the winter plan. I am talking about last year's national service plan, and budget 2021.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: Let me be clear about what I was asking about, which was beds that are funded. I am not asking about additional beds because they are not there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: What about the 51 consultant posts?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: Are they locum?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I know, but are they filled on a permanent basis?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: They are locum at the moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: The document does not state that. The actual plan states 51 consultant posts. This is part of the problem. We announce that we are going to have 51 additional emergency department consultants and then we are told that more than half of these will not be appointed until next year. This is the problem every year. These winter plans come, promises are made and big numbers are put out. In...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I come back to the issue of emergency medicine consultants. Mr. Mulvany said earlier when I put questions to him on that issue that the 51 consultants was never designed to be for this year. That is not what it states in the plan. On page 17 of the plan for winter 2022-2023 it states that analysis by site has been completed and the number of additional emergency department consultants...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: Where does it state that? I do not see it anywhere. It states "for this year". The Minister said that this year we will recruit 51 additional consultants for emergency departments and what it states here, if I can put it to Mr. Mulvany again, is that this was done as part of an analysis to ensure we have a safe and timely service. We will not have those 51 posts on site for this winter....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I could not agree more with Mr. Mulvany because I said last year, in last year's budget, that the time to plan for this winter was in last year's budget as it takes time to put beds in place and to recruit staff. That begs the following question. Why were those 51 consultant posts not funded last year to enable us to get to a point where this winter those posts would be in place? I ask...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I agree but these winter plans are a rehashing of previous commitments and give the impression that a lot of things will be done when, in fact, they cannot be done. I know that some of the plan can be done and lots of it will be done. I agree that it takes time to hire consultants and put beds in place, which is why when I see big figures and promises for both in a winter plan my confidence...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: The winter plan is the Minister's plan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: The 51 consultants will not be in place this year, as identified by the HSE's research that shows we need them to provide a safe service. It is an undisputed fact.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I want to discuss the consequences in terms of the human side.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I want to have all of the consultants in place.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: As the HSE does, and I want them as quickly as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I want to quote some figures. Emergency department waiting times for an admission on average in July, for all patients, was 12.8 hours; and for those over 75 years it was 15.3 hours. In August, the wait was 12.5 hours for all patients and 14.8 for those over 75 years. In September, the wait was 12.7 hours and for those over 75 years it was 14.8 hours. As many as 35,000 people waited over...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE Winter Plan 2022-2023: HSE (16 Nov 2022)

David Cullinane: I cite a response to a parliamentary question on the maximum wait times, which I would have received from the HSE. Take a look at the matter and come back to us with the reasons, in particular the reason somebody waited 9.4 days for admission to a bed in Galway University Hospital. It takes my breath away to think that that could be the case. Please come back to me on that.