John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

47. To ask the Minister for Health if St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, will be provided with 24-7 emergency medicine consultant cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50793/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have been informed by the HSE that St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny has two Consultants in Emergency Medicine and that the hospital provides a 24/7 consultant service in all emergency specialty areas.

There has been significant investment in recent years St Luke's Hospital in developing the Acute Floor which encompasses the Emergency Department, the Acute Medical Assessment Unit and the Acute Surgical Assessment Unit. This state of the art facility, in the new wing of the hospital is more spacious, affords patients much more privacy and dignity and is a safer environment for staff to care for the increasing number of patients. St Luke's Hospital Kilkenny is a pilot site for the roll-out of the Acute Floor Programme. As part of the Ireland East Hospital Group, a number of initiatives to improve emergency services for patients have been introduced in the hospital including the Geriatric Emergency Medicine Service which ensures that a comprehensive geriatric assessment is carried out on all frail older persons over 75 years of age as soon as possible after they present to the Acute Floor.

This year has been characterised by high demand for unscheduled care, particularly among the over-75 age group. Total ED attendances at St Luke’s Hospital Kilkenny have increased by 3.1% (+1,042), to end October 2018 as compared with the same period in 2017. However, the emergency patient flow has improved at the hospital with a significant reduction of 36.8% (- 1,426) in patients waiting on trolleys at 8am between January 2018 and October 2018, as compared with the same period in 2017.