Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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652. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which he remains satisfied that the various initiatives taken to address overcrowding at accident and emergency departments throughout the country are adequate and sufficient to address the issue now and in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12040/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Recent data from the HSE indicates that in 2016 there was a circa 5% increase in Emergency Department attendances nationally. In addition, early January 2017 saw continued significant pressure on our EDs due to high demand, increased incidence of flu mainly affecting older people, as well as ongoing bed capacity constraints due to staff shortages.

The Emergency Department Taskforce (EDTF) was convened in December 2014 to provide focus and momentum in dealing with the challenges presented by ED overcrowding. The EDTF Implementation Oversight Group has met seven times over the course of 2016 and into 2017, most recently on the 6th January 2017.

As the Deputy may be aware, in September 2016, the HSE launched the ‘Winter Initiative Plan 2016-2017’ which provided €40 million of additional funding for winter preparedness and to assist hospitals to deal with increased demand. In January 2017, in response to significant pressures in our EDs in the early New Year, a series of enhanced measures were added to this Initiative.

So far, the Initiative has delivered 90 newly-opened additional beds. Also, as of 28 February, delayed discharges have reduced nationally to 517, freeing up hospitals beds to alleviate ED pressures. In addition under the Initiative, since October: over 4,260 patients have availed of aids and appliances; over 1,050 additional homecare packages and 615 additional transitional care beds have been provided, enabling patients to be discharged from hospital sooner. The work of the EDTF and Implementation of the Winter Initiative is supported by the work of the Special Delivery Unit (SDU) of the HSE on the ground supporting process improvement and the delivery of key targets at sites throughout the country.

A key element of the Winter Initiative has been for the HSE to work with hospitals to develop key improvement actions and Winter Plans at each site aimed at preparing for the expected increased demand during the winter period. This essential work continues and there are indications that some of our larger hospitals have harnessed Winter Initiative measures and improved processes, to decrease the number of patients waiting on trolleys, whilst contending with increased demand. Learning from this Winter Initiative will be used to improve planning for future years and along with my Department, every week, I meet with senior officials from the HSE, including the Director General, to monitor progress on the Winter Initiative and ED Performance.