Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2019
362. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the investment in bed capacity in the short, medium and long-term as outlined in the Sláintecare report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2458/19]
View answerHospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that are further challenged over the winter months. It is against this background that the Health Service Capacity Review 2018 recommended an increase in acute hospitals beds of over 2,600 by 2031 to support the projected increase in demand for services in the years ahead.
The National Development Plan (NDP), published last year as part of the Project Ireland 2040 policy initiative, provides €10.9 billion to invest in infrastructure, equipment and additional service capacity for the public health sector over the next 10 years in line with the implementation of Sláintecare.
Health capital investments over the coming decade will support existing Government priority projects and commitments, facilitate the shift to new models of care and enable the roll-out of new additional capacity, guided by the implementation of Sláintecare.
The developments that this capital investment will enable include:
- 2,600 additional acute hospital beds;
- 4,500 additional long and short-term beds;
- Elective only hospitals in Cork, Dublin and Galway;
- significant investment in modern e-health and ICT infrastructure;
- Additional Primary Care facilities with greater access to diagnostics;
- Additional facilities for mental health services and for people with disabilities.
Health capital projects and programmes currently underway will continue and these major priority projects will require the bulk of the notified capital allocation over the initial period of the Plan to 2022.
Increasing capacity is a priority for the Government in line with the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review. In this context, an additional 240 beds have been opened over the past 12 months and the HSE's National Service Plan provides for a comprehensive capacity programme for 2019. The main elements of the this programme include:
- the opening of 78 new beds by the end of the first quarter of 2019;
- the opening of an additional 75 acute beds and 70 community beds during 2019, as part of the Winter Plan;
- preparation of 202 beds this year, to be operational in the first quarter of 2020.
It is important to recognise that the NDP and implementing Sláintecare are long-term plans. Many capital proposals are at an early stage and, as with all capital development proposals, will require further appraisal, planning, design and tender before a firm timeline or funding required can be established.
The Health Service Executive is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2019. The requirements for bed capacity and other health capital projects, currently at various stages of development, are being considered as part of this process.
