Written answers

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1481. To ask the Minister for Health the number of additional community beds delivered in 2021 of the 1,250 promised in budget 2021; the split between public and private; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33534/21]

Photo of Mary ButlerMary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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A key aim of our health services is to support older people to live independently in the community, for as long as possible. This includes minimising referrals and admissions to acute settings or, when admitted, facilitating discharge through a designated pathway in order to maximise the potential for remaining at home and in turn reducing the requirement for long-term residential care.

Priority areas for the HSE are focused on development of this integrated care model and include the commitment to funding an additional 1,250 rehabilitation and short stay / intermediate care beds in 2021, bringing the total capacity of public short stay beds to just under 3,500. The aim is that the balance of public / private provision will be maintained with a view to enhancing direct HSE provision nationally over time.

The expansion is intended to be achieved through the addition of:

- 617 rehabilitation beds in public facilities

- 185 repurposed public Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) beds

- 448 privately purchased bed capacity for transitional care.

The provision of these beds to date is an operational issue and as such it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1482. To ask the Minister for Health the average capital cost of a community bed by type of community bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33535/21]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1763. To ask the Minister for Health the average all in capital cost of an acute inpatient bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35471/21]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1765. To ask the Minister for Health the all in cost of a critical bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35473/21]

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1778. To ask the Minister for Health the all-in capital cost for delivering each type of public community bed on average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35486/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1482, 1763, 1765 and 1778 together.

Several factors determine the capital cost of a bed. These include the nature of the bed (day case, long-term stay, etc.), and the bed’s location (within an existing facility, within a new extension to an existing facility, etc.) As such, there is no one capital cost for providing an additional bed.

A recent review of bed costings determined an average capital cost per bed to be in the region of:

Non Acute Bed - €0.35m to €0.45m

Acute Bed - €0.50m - €0.8m

Critical Care Bed - €1.40m to €1.80m

The estimates exclude any significant enabling works e.g. decant costs as well as other accommodation that may be required to support this additional capacity e.g. diagnostics, theatre space etc. Capital costs are naturally subject to variations with some sites requiring more investment depending on location, project scale, complexity of the site, existing infrastructure, site conditions, design etc. Costs per bed will vary depending on the size of the proposed development. Economies of scale would impact on the per bed cost.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1483. To ask the Minister for Health the average revenue cost of a community bed by type of community bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33536/21]

Photo of Mary ButlerMary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shutdown of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is ongoing, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.

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