Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 678: To ask the Minister for Health the number of convalescing or long stay patients currently occupying general surgical, medical or other acute beds in each of the public and private hospital sectors at present and on average over the past three years to date; the number of suitable beds available for such patients in both private and public nursing facilities throughout the country on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29798/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The work of the Special Delivery Unit, together with implementation of the Clinical Care Programmes in the HSE, will help to improve the efficiency of our hospitals, allowing us to treat as many patients as possible within budget. I believe that pursuing efficiencies through these means will be a far more productive approach than debating the number of beds open or closed at any one time.

Many of the Special Delivery Unit's initiatives to date have been targeted at the patients remaining in acute beds post medical discharge and these have involved increased access to home supports and transitional care. A specific project aimed at improving the quality of care delivery to the frail older person is being finalised and a group will be set up to oversee implementation of this national initiative. The aim of the project is to support the frail older person at home, create direct access pathways in the acute setting, rehabilitation and transitional care settings.

In the current economic climate the acute sector must reduce its costs in order to deliver the agreed level of activity within the resources available to it. The emphasis in 2012 will continue to be to make the most effective use of acute bed capacity through shorter lengths of stay, increased rates of day-of-surgery admission and more day surgery. In this way the acute hospital system can ensure that, within the level of resources available, it provides safe, effective and efficient care to the maximum number of patients. As the specific issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.