Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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37. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on his Department’s latest work in tackling overcrowding in hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40744/23]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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38. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to tackle to ongoing trolley crisis in emergency departments throughout the country in advance of the oncoming winter season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40549/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 38 and 39 together.

Urgent and Emergency Care pressures are no longer just experienced during winter periods. Prolonged levels of high presentations and congestion now occur throughout the year. While significant investment has been driven through Winter Planning and National Service Plans over the past three years, a new approach to Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) planning is now required in response the changing demands.

This approach is twofold:

• The delivery of an Urgent and Emergency Care Operational Plan for 2023, which was signed off by Government at the end of July; and
• The delivery of a 3-year multi-annual UEC Strategy, which is expected to be submitted to Government in the Autumn.

• reduce ED waiting times for older patients;
• reduce the number of patients with Delayed Transfers of Care;
• reduce the numbers of patients waiting on trolleys; and
• reduce average inpatient lengths of stay.