Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 174: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on new action plans to end the issue of patients on trolleys in hospitals. [27845/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The measures identified in the ten point plan to improve the delivery of accident and emergency services take a wide ranging approach and are aimed at improving access to accident and emergency services, improving patient flows through accident and emergency departments, freeing up of acute beds and providing appropriate longer term care for patients outside of the acute hospital setting.

The Health Service Executive is working with hospitals in order to deliver these measures and to ensure that the investment produces sustainable solutions. There are also additional actions that are required which relate to processes and procedures affecting the throughput of patients in hospitals. These too will be addressed by the HSE.

A particular focus has been placed on those patients in acute hospitals who have completed their acute phase of treatment and are ready for discharge to a more appropriate setting. The HSE is making sustained efforts to arrange for the discharge of these patients in order to have more acute beds available in hospitals for emergency patients. My Department has asked the parliamentary affairs division of the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy on the progress being made in this regard.