Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 October 2019
97. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to alleviate overcrowding in the South Tipperary General Hospital in which the figures recorded in September 2019 were the worst recorded for September since an organisation (details supplied) commenced keeping records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41227/19]
View answerAccording to provisional HSE TrolleyGAR data, there was a 39% increase in patients waiting on trolleys year to date in South Tipperary General Hospital (STGH) ED in September 2019 compared to the same period last year. In the month of September 2019, there were 574 patients counted on trolleys in STGH, which was a 23.7% increase compared to the previous month.
My Department is engaging extensively with the HSE this year to identify mitigating actions across the health service to bring down trolley numbers and waiting times in the ED in the face of growing demand.
Planning for winter 2019/20 has commenced and my Department is working with the HSE to finalise the Winter Plan in the coming weeks. Individual Community Healthcare Organisations (CHOs) and Hospital Groups are preparing Integrated Winter Plans that will focus on demand management and reduction, staffing availability, timely access to the most appropriate care pathway for patients, and appropriate timely discharge from acute hospitals. The Integrated Winter Plans will support the development of a single overarching strategic level Winter Plan for the HSE. These Integrated Winter Plans will support the development of a single overarching strategic level Winter Plan for the HSE.
The Integrated Winter Plan for STGH will be delivered by a Winter Actions Team that will include the CEO of the South South West Hospital Group and the Chief Officer of CHO 5.
The Health Service Capacity Review published last year was clear on the need for a major investment in additional capacity in both hospital and community – combined with a wide scale reform of the manner and the location of where health services are provided.
As part of the 2017/2018 Winter Initiative, funding was allocated for the provision of a 40-bed modular unit in STGH in Clonmel. HSE Estates have advised that the contract programme is now 85% complete and that substantial completion is anticipated in November. Equipment has been delivered to the site and the equipping programme is underway. The final commissioning will take place once the contractor hand-over is completed.
