Written answers

Wednesday, 31 March 2021

Photo of Neale RichmondNeale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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865. To ask the Minister for Health the improvements that have been made or are planned to make to the ICU capacity in public hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16345/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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At the start of last year, permanent adult critical care capacity in our public hospitals stood at 255 beds, according to the National Office of Clinical Audit. Funding for 40 additional adult critical care beds was provided in March 2020 as part of the initial response to Covid-19.

A Strategic Plan for Critical Care was noted by Government in December 2020 and aims to bring permanent adult critical care capacity in Ireland to 321 by the end of 2021 and to 446 in the long term in line with the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review. A total of €52m was provided in Budget 2021 to advance the Critical Care Strategic Plan. This will retain, on a permanent basis, the 40 adult critical care beds put in place on a temporary basis last year and add further new build bed capacity with the aim of bringing the total baseline permanent capacity to 321 beds by year end in line with the Plan. The funding provided will also allow for the development of a workforce plan and education initiatives to grow the critical care workforce.

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