Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 February 2016
74. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the number of beds that were allocated to University Hospital Waterford in the recent winter hand-out allowance for overcrowded hospitals; the number of beds allocated, by hospital, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3931/16]
View answerAs part of the winter capacity planning initiative for 2015/16, an additional 301 beds were commissioned to open on a phased basis to ease pressures in emergency departments. 202 of these beds are open to date and it is expected that the remainder will be available by the end of February. In addition, the HSE identified a further 154 closed beds in the system, which it is intended to reopen in order to support hospitals during the winter period. Currently, 111 of these beds are available.
The detailed information sought by the Deputy on the location of the additional beds is set out in the tables. It should be noted that the numbers identified are the beds available at a particular date in time. The number of beds available can, of course, fluctuate due to short term closures, such as, for example, infection control measures. I understand that, while no additional beds were commissioned in University Hospital Waterford (UHW) directly under the initiative, 48 beds have been made available in the South/South West Hospital Group, of which UHW is a constituent hospital; 30 of these beds have been opened to date.
Along with other acute hospitals, UHW has prepared a winter capacity plan to help address the expected increase in demand for services. Measures taken have included opening additional beds as required, better managing patient flow, discharging patients appropriately, providing internal surge capacity, both of beds and staff, as well as prioritising diagnostics for in-patients to facilitate their earlier discharge. A new Community Intervention Team is now in place to help manage the clinical needs of some patients within the community, obviating their need for admission or reducing their length of stay in the hospital.
In addition to UHW’s winter planning measures, the HSE has approved further funding to support the opening of an additional 15 beds in UHW. I am advised that staff recruitment to support these beds is currently being progressed.
Table 1: Additional capacity to open during winter period.
|
Hospital |
Total planned in July 2015 |
Total number of beds open at 21 January 2016 |
|
RCSI Hospital Group |
||
|
Our Lady of Lourdes Drogheda |
8 |
8 |
|
Louth |
12 |
5 |
|
Connolly |
24 |
16 |
|
Ireland East HG |
||
|
St Vincent's University Hospital |
22 |
22 |
|
Loughlinstown |
10 |
0* |
|
Navan |
15 |
15 |
|
Kilkenny |
12 |
12 |
|
Wexford |
10 |
10 |
|
Cappagh |
10 |
0 |
|
Dublin Midlands HG |
||
|
Tallaght |
16 |
12 |
|
University Of Limerick HG |
||
|
University Hospital Limerick |
27 |
26 |
|
South/South West HG |
||
|
Cork University Hospital |
30 |
30 |
|
Mercy University Hospital |
18 |
0* |
|
Saolta HG |
||
|
Merlin Park |
14 |
14 |
|
Galway |
30 |
17 |
|
Letterkenny |
10 |
10 |
|
Portiuncula |
5 |
5 |
|
Children's HG |
||
|
Temple Street |
14 |
0* |
|
Tallaght |
14 |
0* |
|
TOTAL |
301 |
202 |
Table 2: Additional capacity being progressed over and above the 301 beds agreed in July 2016.
|
Hospital |
Total planned in July 2015 |
Total number of beds open at 21 January 2016 |
|
Sligo |
14 |
14 |
|
Naas |
11 |
11 |
|
TOTAL |
25 |
25 |
Table 3: Closed beds in the process of re-opening.
|
Hospital |
Beds closed in October 2015 |
Beds open at 21 January 2016 |
|
Galway |
17 |
0* |
|
Beaumont |
33 |
21 |
|
University of Limerick |
29 |
23 |
|
Naas |
15 |
15 |
|
St James's |
5 |
5 |
|
Tullamore |
15 |
15 |
|
St John's |
20 |
12 |
|
Cork University Hospital |
20 |
20 |
|
TOTAL |
154 |
111 |
*No additional beds have been opened yet, pending recruitment of required staff which is ongoing.
