Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on all current initiatives to address waiting times and overcrowding in Beaumont Hospital accident and emergency unit, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8293/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In July of last year I announced the establishment of the Special Delivery Unit. The development of the Unit is a key part of my plans to radically reform the health system in Ireland. Last year I identified two key priorities for the SDU, namely addressing trolley waiting times and reducing the maximum waiting time for elective surgery. I am happy to say that the SDU has delivered notable improvements on both objectives.

The next area of work in the area of Unscheduled Care will include a new focus on monitoring the total patient journey time, including any time spent on trolleys, as part of the new national score card for measuring performance. New target times to be introduced this year will ensure that 95% of all attendees at Emergency Departments are discharged or admitted within 6 hours of registration, and that those who need to be admitted through ED wait no more than 9 hours from registration. Beaumont Hospital will be expected to comply with these targets.

Scheduled Care Targets to be introduced in 2012 will reduce the maximum waiting time for elective surgery to 9 months or less. The target will be 20 weeks or less for elective paediatric procedures and 13 weeks for Endoscopy procedures.

A specific SDU liaison process has also been put in place for all hospitals with varying degrees of intensity commensurate with the issues on the ground in each location.

The organisation of hospital services nationally, regionally and locally will be informed by the Clinical Programmes, which have been developed and implemented by the HSE, and by the work on the Framework for the Development of Smaller Hospitals which I will be publishing. These inter-related programmes aim to improve service quality, effectiveness and patient access and to ensure that patient care is provided in the service setting most appropriate to individuals' needs.

The difficult budgetary position facing the health services this year means that maintaining and building on will be a significant challenge particularly in the initial few months of 2012, typically the busiest time for acute hospitals. However, I am encouraged by the recent successes of the SDU and those involved in the delivery of acute hospital services..