Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 18: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the further action she will take in 2009 to address needs of the 600 plus people who are in acute beds while their acute treatment is completed while others wait for admittance to these beds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6548/09]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 30: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the fact that a total of 216,885 bed days were lost in 2008 due to delayed discharges from acute hospitals and that this is a 30% increase on the number of bed days lost in 2007; the action she is taking to address same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6634/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 61: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether the number of persons on trolleys and chairs in accident and emergency departments in public hospitals here is a national emergency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6607/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 30 and 61 together.

I am determined to ensure that all possible measures are taken to facilitate the discharge of patients in a timely manner. At present, there are approximately 750 patients whose discharge is delayed. This represents over 6% of the total in-patient capacity. There are many reasons for discharges being delayed including the need for long stay capacity, community based supports and, in some instances, a reluctance by families to allow their relative to be discharged until a publicly funded bed becomes available.

The HSE is addressing the issue of delayed discharges through a combination of increased investment in alternatives to acute hospital stay and improvements in the discharge planning process at hospital level.

Considerable pressures were experienced in January in Emergency Departments across the country. The difficulties were attributed to a number of factors, including influenza and norovirus outbreaks. As a consequence a number of hospitals have been operating at significantly reduced capacity. However, the position has improved somewhat over recent weeks and the number of patients awaiting admission has reduced.

An additional 273 long-stay beds were made available in 2008, and a further 414 new beds are scheduled in 2009. The HSE has also recently funded 245 additional contract beds to alleviate delayed discharge pressures. Investment in community-based long-term care supports will be maintained in 2009. This year the HSE will provide 4,700 home care packages, benefiting over 11,500 people. 6,000 patients were cared for by the Community Intervention Teams in 2008.

Hospitals are working to ensure that care is provided in a timely, appropriate and efficient manner. All patients are to be given an expected date of discharge within 24 hours of admission and patients will be discharged at weekends where appropriate.

More generally, the HSE National Service Plan for 2009 commits to a number of key steps which are designed to improve the efficiency of the hospital system including a reduction in the level of inappropriate admissions, reducing average length of stay, increasing elective surgical admissions on the day of surgery and shifting activity from in-patient to day procedures. The delivery of these measures and targets, combined with the initiatives which I have described, should ensure more efficient use of available capacity.

I am determined that the improvements made over the last two years in managing activity in our Emergency Departments are sustained and in this context, the HSE has set a revised maximum waiting time target this year of no more than 6 hours from registration to admission or discharge for all patients attending Emergency Departments, and not just for those patients who require admission. The HSE is also introducing a measurement system during 2009 which will record the total waiting time for all patients attending Emergency Departments.