Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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192. To ask the Minister for Health when the winter plan for hospitals will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46873/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Urgent and Emergency Care pressures are no longer just experienced during winter periods and prolonged levels of high daily presentations and congestion are now being experienced 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 UEC planning in 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 in July; and
• The delivery of a 3-year multi-annual UEC Strategy, which is expected to be submitted to Government in the Autumn.