Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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172. To ask the Minister for Health the additional beds opened under the winter plan; the hospitals in which these beds were located; the number that were open in each hospital in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3419/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Health, I recognise that hospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that are further challenged over the winter months. It is against this background that the Health Service Capacity Review 2018 recommended an increase in acute hospitals beds of over 2,600 by 2031 to support the projected increase in demand for services in the years ahead.

Increasing capacity is therefore a priority for the Government. Over the past 12 months, an additional 240 beds have been opened.

The HSE's National Service Plan for 2019 provides for a comprehensive capacity programme for 2019.  The main elements of the programme are:

- 78 additional beds are scheduled to come on stream by the end of Quarter 1 and Quarter 2  of 2019, including the 40 bed modular build in South Tipperary General Hospital and the 30-bed ward in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda;

- 75 acute beds and 70 community beds are scheduled to come on stream in early 2019, as part of the Winter Plan 2018/19;

- Preparation of 202 beds, of which 16 are critical care, during 2019, with a view to bringing this extra capacity into operation in the first quarter of 2020.

Of the 75 acute beds to be opened as part of the Winter Plan 2018/19, the HSE have confirmed that 40 beds have been opened to date and the remainder are due to come on stream in early 2019. As requested by the Deputy, a table of the hospital sites where beds are due to open under the Winter Plan is attached, and includes the number of beds opened at each hospital site to date.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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173. To ask the Minister for Health the additional beds opened in Cavan Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3420/19]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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174. To ask the Minister for Health the additional beds opened in Monaghan Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3421/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together.

As Minister for Health, I recognise that hospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that are further challenged over the winter months. It is against this background that the Health Service Capacity Review 2018 recommended an increase in acute hospitals beds of over 2,600 by 2031 to support the projected increase in demand for services in the years ahead.

Increasing capacity is therefore a priority for the Government. Over the past 12 months, an additional 240 beds have been opened.

A Capacity Programme for 2019 has been agreed which provides for the following increases to capacity, as set out in the National Service Plan 2019:

- 78 additional beds are planned for Quarter 1 of 2019, including the 40-bed modular build in South Tipperary General Hospital and the 30-bed ward in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda;

- 75 acute beds and 70 community beds to come on stream in 2019, as part of the Winter Plan 2018/19;

- preparation of 202 beds, of which 16 are critical care, by quarter 4 2019 with a view to bringing this extra capacity into operation in the first quarter of 2020.

While no additional beds opened in Monaghan Hospital or in Cavan General Hospital in the last 12 months, 5 additional beds in Monaghan Hospital are included in the 202 beds due to come on stream in the 1st quarter of 2020.

The RCSI Hospital Group, which includes both Cavan General Hospital and Monaghan Hospital, has identified the need for development of the resuscitation area in Cavan Emergency Department. Future investment in Cavan General Hospital will be considered within the overall acute hospital infrastructure programme, the prioritised needs of the hospital groups and within the overall capital envelope available to the health service.