Written answers

Wednesday, 15 November 2017

Department of Health

Hospital Overcrowding

Photo of Mick BarryMick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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92. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to deal with the trolley crisis and emergency department overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48179/17]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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96. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of the initiatives he has put in place to address the issue of overcrowding at accident and emergency departments throughout the country; if in the event they meet or exceed targets, he plans further measures to meet the challenges presenting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48176/17]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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189. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which he expects to be in a position to reduce overcrowding at accident and emergency departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48448/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 92, 96 and 189 together.

I would like to acknowledge the distress for patients and their families, and the impact on staff, caused by cramped and overcrowded conditions in some of our hospital Emergency Departments.

This year so far, Emergency Department attendances are up over 1.8% or over 16,000 patients by the end of September, including a 5% increase in Emergency Department attendances by people over 75 years. Within this context, trolley numbers and patient experience times are showing small improvements on this time last year. As of 13 November, HSE data shows that there was 1.2% or 1,025 less patients waiting on trolleys this year as compared to the same period last year, notwithstanding the increased demand.

In addition several hospitals are showing significant improvement in terms of trolley numbers with HSE data to the end of September showing Mayo University Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda and Beaumont Hospital showing reductions in trolley numbers ranging from 30% to 40% as compared to the same period in 2016.

Tackling overcrowding in Emergency Departments is a key commitment of this Government and I am happy to confirm that €40 million in additional funding in 2017 has been made available as part of the 2018 Budget to address winter pressures and waiting lists over the rest of this year. A further €45 million has been allocated for measures to improve access to unscheduled care and other acute hospital priorities in 2018.

Some of this funding is already being utilised within the system, with an additional 45 homecare packages and 20 transitional care beds per week being provided for the duration of the winter period. This funding will allow for patients to return home, or an appropriate community setting, when clinically appropriate, thus helping to alleviate some of the pressures our hospitals are currently experiencing.

Funding will also be provided to increase bed capacity this winter and moving forward, as part of service planning for 2018. The Department of Health is also undertaking a Health Service Capacity review in line with the Programme for a Partnership Government commitment, the findings of which are due to be published before the end of the year, and which will provide an evidence base for future capacity decisions.

In addition, I can confirm that all Hospital Groups and Community Health Organisations have developed and put in place integrated winter preparedness plans for their locality focussed on planning and escalation preparedness, maintaining patient flow processes and ensuring public health preparedness.

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