Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 February 2017
49. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his views on the lack of neuro-rehabilitation services as a critical factor in the current trolley crisis, leading to delayed discharges and unnecessary admissions; the immediate steps he is taking to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4548/17]
View answerIncreased demand on hospital Emergency Departments can be caused by a range of factors. To deal with this increased demand, the Health Service Executive (HSE) launched the "Winter Initiative Plan 2016 - 2017", in September 2016, which provided €40 million of additional funding for winter preparedness. On 5th of January, in response to significant pressures in our EDs in the New Year, a series of enhanced measures were added to this initiative.
A key target of this Initiative is to reduce delayed discharges nationally in order to ensure that patients who have been waiting in acute hospitals, including those people who require neuro-rehabilitation services, are getting the support they need to go home or to an alternative suitable community setting which meets their needs. Since the start of the Initiative, delayed discharges have reduced nationally from a high of 659 earlier in 2016 to 469, as of 24th of January. The data available would indicate that cases relating to neuro-rehabilitation services are a relatively small proportion of the overall total.
In addition, the Initiative has delivered 75 additional acute beds opened in the Mercy Hospital Cork, Galway, the Mater, Beaumont and Mullingar. Over 3,900 patients have availed of aids and appliances, over 780 additional homecare packages have been made available and 410 additional transitional care beds have been approved since early October, enabling patients to be discharged from hospital sooner.
I wish to assure the Deputy that my colleague, Minister Harris, and my Department, meet every week with senior officials from the HSE, including the Director General, to monitor progress on the Winter Initiative and ED Performance.
With regard to neuro-rehabilitation services, the Programme for Partnership Government includes a commitment to publish a "plan for advancing neuro-rehabilitation services in the community." The HSE's National Service Plan 2017 contains a priority to finalise and progress implementation of the framework for the Neuro-rehabilitation Strategy. A National Steering Group, chaired by the Head of the Health Service Executive's (HSE's) Disability Reform Team, has completed an implementation framework in respect of the recommendations from the "National Policy and Strategy for the Provision of Neuro-rehabilitation Services in Ireland 2011 - 2011" . The Group is currently considering feedback on the framework, which was circulated to wider stakeholder interest groups. The National Service Plan also contains a priority action to establish an innovative pilot day service aimed at supporting people with severe acquired brain injuries, which is being explored by the HSE.
The Deputy may be aware of the new development of the National Rehabilitation Hospital, which will deliver a 120 bed ward block, including support therapies to paediatrics, acquired brain injury wards, a hydrotherapy unit and a sports hall. Planning permission is already in place and it is expected that tenders from contractors for the main works will be returned in February, 2017.
