Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 July 2020
315. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a proposal to develop a new urgent care centre at University Hospital Limerick; if the necessary resources will be provided to advance the plan which will assist in dealing with chronic overcrowding at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17944/20]
View answer316. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if consideration and the necessary resources will be given to advance proposals to provide ambulatory care units throughout the mid-west region model two hospitals in Ennis, St. John’s and Nenagh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17953/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 316 together.
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to continuing investment in our health care services in line with the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review and the commitments in Project Ireland 2040.
The Capacity Review found that the net requirement, in a reform scenario, is for an additional 2,590 hospital beds by 2031 (inpatient, day case, critical care) with an immediate requirement for 1,290 beds to address overcrowding and to ensure hospitals operated at 85% occupancy in line with other OECD countries. Approximately 770 additional beds have been provided to date. The National Development Plan provides for the addition of the full 2,590 beds by the earlier date of 2027.
Since December 2017, an additional 25 beds have opened in University Hospital Limerick. A capital budget of €19.5 million has been approved for the provision of a modular 60-bed inpatient ward block at the hospital, with funding of €10 million allocated in 2019. This important project will go some way towards addressing the acknowledged lack of bed capacity in the region.
In relation to the specific proposals referred to by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly.
The Deputy may wish to note that my Department wrote to the HSE on 29th June to request the development of a comprehensive Winter Plan for winter 20/21 taking account of the additional challenges presented by Covid 19. It is expected that the plan will be available in late August. It is recognised that providing a safe, efficient emergency department service will be extremely challenging in 20/21. The Covid 19 pandemic is likely to fundamentally change the provision of scheduled and unscheduled care in our hospitals with greater challenges in terms of infection prevention and control. This will require greater social distancing in waiting and treating rooms, use of PPE, testing for Covid 19, greater requirement for isolation facilities and will require the minimisation of the use of trolleys in the provision of care to patients. The 2020/21 Winter Plan will have to provide for the safe delivery of emergency care services in a Covid-19 environment. It will prioritise the further integration of acute and community care pathways to shift care to community settings in line with the vision set out in Sláintecare. The Winter Plan will seek to reduce attendances at EDs by offering alternatives in the community, including support for Community Intervention Teams, Frailty Intervention Teams and home care services. Initiatives to provide more care in the community will focus on older people and those with chronic diseases. It will also seek to reduce the number of people receiving care on trolleys by having capacity available to admit patients in a timely manner.
