Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken to reduce the number of persons waiting in trolleys and wheelchairs at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4841/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Immediately following my appointment, I set out to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients being treated in our hospitals. I established the Special Delivery Unit, as set out in the Programme for Government. The SDU is working to unblock access to acute services by improving the flow of patients through the system. There was significant progress during the course of 2012 in reducing the number of patients waiting on trolleys. In December 2012, there were 23.6% fewer patients waiting on trolleys as compared with the same period in 2011. This equates to more than 20,000 patients whose experience of our acute hospitals has been significantly improved.

Since before Christmas hospitals have seen a significant increase in the number of very sick patients needing admission. The increase in norovirus in hospitals has been well publicised; we are also seeing high levels of admissions of frail elderly people and of patients presenting with fractures. However, evidence from the last year has proved that the health system has the capacity to respond to these challenges and to continue to improve emergency care. The situation is being actively managed at a national level, while all staff including consultants, nurses, allied health staff and management is working extremely hard to address the pressures experienced by hospitals since the New Year.

In relation to Beaumont hospital, an intensive work programme has begun between the SDU’s liaison officers, the Clinical Programmes and the hospital teams. Regular meetings are continuing and part of the agenda is to monitor implementation of service improvements. The SDU is satisfied that the hospital is engaged in ensuring that emergency patients are seen in a timely manner, focussing on working to achieve the national targets for unscheduled care.