Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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38. To ask the Minister for Health the number of beds that have not or cannot be reopened or are experiencing a delay in being opened as a result of the absence of safe staffing levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4562/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As of September 2016, acute hospital bed capacity was 12,728 beds, comprising 10,569 inpatient and 2,159 daycase beds. As of 22nd January 2017, the HSE advises that there are 128 acute beds closed, with 20 closed owing to infection prevention and control, 3 for refurbishment, and 105 due to staffing constraints.

In order to enable the reopening of acute beds, recruitment of additional nurses, non-consultant hospital doctors and consultants is ongoing. By the end of November 2016, an additional 118 consultants, 267 hospital doctors and 466 nurses were employed in our health services, in comparison with November 2015. Also, a recruitment fair for nurses was held over the Christmas holiday period. The HSE reports that, since early January, an additional 57 nurses have taken up employment in the acute hospital sector.

Further, to increase acute bed capacity under the Winter Initiative, 98 beds additional beds are being opened. Of these, 57 acute beds and 18 step-down beds have already opened, with the remaining 23 to open across three hospitals shortly.

The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to a national bed capacity review, which will be undertaken this year. In addition to acute bed capacity, this review will examine capacity in the primary and community care sectors, as the availability of non-acute beds and services can mitigate the need for acute hospital admission, or facilitate earlier discharge. The review will also consider how reforms to the model of care will impact on future capacity requirements.