Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2018
446. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Health his plans for the winter initiative in relation to University Hospital Limerick, UHL, and the mid-west region in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48129/18]
View answerMy Department is working with the HSE to ensure the most effective response to the winter challenges to unscheduled care provision. Within this context, the HSE requested singular integrated winter plans from Hospital Groups and Community Health Organisations in June 2018. Subsequently in September and October 2018, I met with Hospital Groups and Community Health Care Organisations to discuss their plans for winter preparedness.
The HSE Winter Plan 2018/19, which is currently under consideration by my Department, provides for a 4-week enhanced focus period from 17 December 2018 to 13 January 2019, targeting 9 key sites of concern. University Hospital Limerick has been identified as one of these 9 sites, based on performance in previous winters.
As part of Budget 2019, an additional €10 m in funding is being provided in 2018 for social care measures to enable older people to leave hospital and return to a more appropriate care setting, including their own home, as quickly as possible with the supports they need. The HSE has confirmed that measures to support older persons transition from acute care to the most appropriate setting have been identified and that the 2018 initiatives have now commenced.
Finally, I have asked the HSE to ensure that the National Service Plan 2019 provides for a significant uplift in activity across acute, primary and community care, to manage critical demand pressures, most particularly on Emergency Departments, at the beginning and the end of the year.
