Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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433. To ask the Minister for Health if there is a management plan for persons waiting on hospital trolleys at Naas General Hospital; the per day trolley numbers for Naas General Hospital from 1 October 2017 to 1 March 2018 and 1 October 2018 to 21 November 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49320/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department is working with the HSE to ensure the most effective response to the winter challenges to unscheduled care provision. Within this context, the HSE requested singular integrated winter plans from Hospital Groups and Community Health Organisations in June 2018. Subsequently in September and October 2018, I met with Hospital Groups and Community Health Care Organisations to discuss their plans for winter preparedness.

The HSE Winter Plan 2018/19, which is currently under consideration by my Department, provides for a 4-week enhanced focus period from 17 December 2018 to 13 January 2019, targeting 9 key sites of concern. Naas General Hospital has been identified as one of these 9 sites, based on performance in previous winters.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.