Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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1394. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide the documentation that he has received from the HSE relating to overcrowding in all Irish hospitals from 1 November 2022 to 4 January 2023. [1092/23]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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1401. To ask the Minister for Health the contact that he has had with the HSE regarding the overcrowding crisis in hospitals; and if he will provide any written correspondence on the matter. [1118/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1394 and 1401 together.

I wish to acknowledge the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments (EDs) cause to patients, their families, and frontline staff working in very challenging conditions in hospitals throughout the country.

We are experiencing a very challenging winter, and our EDs are experiencing high levels of attendances and congestion compared to previous years.

In this context, I have met with HSE senior leadership frequently over the past few weeks to discuss the situation in EDs, monitor the implementation of the Winter Plan 2022/23 and seek assurance that all possible mitigating actions are being taken to alleviate pressures on our EDs.

Between the 1st of November 2022 and the 4th of January 2023, I have met with the HSE regarding EDs on the following occasions:

- 9th of November 2022

- 11th of November 2022

- 14th of December 2022

- 21st of December 2022

- 23rd of December 2022

- 3rd of January 2023

In addition, I have visited several EDs in recent weeks as follows:

- 4th of November 2022 - Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

- 11th of November 2022 - Letterkenny University Hospital

- 18th of November 2022 - University Hospital Waterford

- 2nd of December 2022 - Midlands Regional Hospitals Tullamore and Mullingar

- 3rd of January 2023 - St. Vincent's Hospital and Beaumont Hospital

Notwithstanding this, I would like to note that my engagement with the HSE regarding winter planning began in April 2022, in order to ensure adequate consultation could take place with frontline clinicians and staff in the development of bespoke local plans to address local challenges at site and Community Healthcare Organisation level.

In relation to your request for correspondence and documentation received from the HSE, these will be forwarded to you separately by email due to the voluminous nature of the request.