In July of last year I announced the establishment of the Special Delivery Unit as a key part of my plans to radically reform the health system in Ireland. The Unit’s purpose is to improve access to the emergency and elective care system. Since it was established last year, it has been working to unblock access to acute services by improving patient journeys through the system and by streamlining waiting lists, including GP referrals. I am pleased to be able to say that very significant progress has been made to date by the SDU in relation to both emergency departments and waiting lists.
A major priority has been to improve access to emergency care and I welcome the fact that for significant numbers of patients, the experience in our EDs has been markedly improved. From January to September, the number of patients waiting on trolleys fell by 22.9% compared to the same period last year - that equates to 14,795 fewer patients waiting on trolleys. The 30 day moving average (average number of trolleys over 30 days) has fallen by 37.5% in 12 months, from 328 on 19 September 2011 to 205 on 21 September 2012
On 17 September 2012 in Mid-West Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, there were 16 patients on trolleys at 8 am. The longest wait on that day was 68 hrs. On that day 210 patients were discharged from the ED with 60% of these discharged within 6 hrs.
I have asked the HSE to reply directly to you concerning the staffing levels at the emergency Department of Mid-West Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle.
