Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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85. To ask the Minister for Health the reason 738 persons over 75 years of age had to wait more than 24 hours in the emergency department in St. Vincent's Hospital during January to August 2018. [43593/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I wish to acknowledge the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments (EDs) cause to patients, their families and frontline staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country.

Reflecting the demographic pressures associated with the growth in our aging population, this year has been characterised by high demand for unscheduled care, particularly among the over-75 age group. Patients in this age group are the highest users of most health and social care services, have more complex needs and longer stays in our Acute Hospitals.

I recognise that hospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that are further challenged over the winter months. However, the National Service Plan 2018 includes an expected activity target that 100% of patients aged 75 and over are discharged or admitted within 24 hours of registration. Therefore, any breach of this target in respect of patients in this age cohort is unacceptable.

Ireland East Hospital Group, which includes St Vincent's Hospital, advise that the hospital did not meet the target because of an increased demand and activity for unscheduled care this year. Between January and August 2018, the total attendances in St Vincent's Hospital ED increased by 7.4%, while admissions rose by 13%, as compared with the same period in 2017. For those over 75, attendances increased by 10.8% and admissions by 18.6% to the end of August 2018.

As Minister for Health, I am committed to maintaining the focus on addressing overcrowding in our hospital emergency departments. My Department is working closely with the HSE to ensure that local and regional winter plans at hospital group and community health care organisation level are consolidated and supported through policies and plans at national level to ensure the most effective response to the winter challenges to unscheduled care provision.

In addition, as part of Budget 2019, €10m in funding has been allocated in 2018, to enable hospitals to de-escalate before the end of the year, with a focus on supporting patients in the over 75 age group.