Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 165: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress of the implementation of a ten point plan to deal with the accident and emergency crisis; her views on the assessment of Professor Brendan Drumm that the difficulties will exist for another two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28962/05]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 174: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress to date on her ten point plan for the accident and emergency crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28905/05]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 187: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, regarding the package of measures announced by her on Estimates Day in November 2004 to improve accident and emergency services, the measures implemented to date and the timetable for the implementation of each other planned measure; if she is satisfied with the rate of progress regarding the serious problems that continue to be experienced in many accident and emergency Departments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28787/05]

Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 328: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the 50% increase in 2005 in patients on trolleys in hospital accident and emergency departments; her proposals to minimise hospital accident and emergency overcrowding during the oncoming winter months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29171/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 165, 174, 187 and 328, together.

The Health Service Executive is advancing the implementation of a series of measures to improve the delivery of accident and emergency services. These measures 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.

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 hospital for emergency patients. The number of delayed discharges in the major Dublin hospitals now stands at 378. This is the lowest number since January 2005 and has been achieved as a result of the various measures being implemented to improve the delivery of accident and emergency services.

The following is the current position regarding the implementation of these measures. In the care of the elderly area, 48 high dependency beds have been contracted in private nursing homes for those patients with more demanding care needs. A total of 318 patients have been discharged to 95 intermediate care beds for six to eight week stays since contracts with private providers commenced in May. Seventy long-term patients in St. Mary's in the Phoenix Park are being identified in consultation with clinicians and families for transfer to private nursing homes. These beds will allow for the discharge of 35 patients each from the Mater and Beaumont Hospitals. A further 65 patients have been transferred to private nursing homes pending the re-opening of 65 public long-stay beds which were closed in nursing facilities on the southside of Dublin. Additional homecare packages and enhanced subventions have facilitated the discharge of 246 and 94 patients respectively in the Dublin area. It is recognised that a range of short-term, medium-term and long-term measures are needed which transcend the immediate operational issues in accident and emergency departments and which are integrally linked to the development of primary care services and support services for the elderly. My Department and the Health Service Executive will continue to work closely to maintain a focus on the implementation of system-wide measures to improve the delivery of accident and emergency services.