Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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781. To ask the Minister for Health the number of attendances at a hospital (details supplied) between 2010 and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1575/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the distress overcrowded EDs cause to patients, their families, and frontline staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country. Hospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that are further challenged over the winter months.

We are coming into a very busy period for our health services, with many sites reporting significant numbers of patent attendances. Hospitals are also reporting a significant increase in the numbers of patients presenting with respiratory and flu like illness.

Key actions are now underway, as part of the Winter Plan, to support hospitals during this period of peak demand to include: the opening of additional beds, the use of private hospital capacity, frailty intervention teams in EDs, additional homecare packages and transitional care beds, and additional diagnostics in hospitals and for GPs.

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