Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
838. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied at the extent to which the public and the private sector have combined their efforts to deal with the Covid-19 virus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24100/20]
View answerAccess to acute private hospitals played a significant part in the country's initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In anticipation of the projected surge in Covid-19 cases and the expected impact on the health care system a major part of the response was to urgently ramp up capacity for acute hospital care facilities. A critical element of the strategy was to put in place an arrangement with the private hospitals to use their facilities as part of the public system, to provide essential acute hospital services for the duration of the emergency. Following negotiations with the Private Hospitals Association an overarching agreement with the 18 private acute hospitals was agreed at the end of March. Under the agreement, the HSE secured 100% of the capacity of the private hospitals until the end of June.
Following termination of the agreement the Government mandated the HSE to seek an agreement with the private hospitals on a new arrangement which would provide the HSE with access to private hospital capacity in the event of a surge of Covid-19 cases, and separately with ongoing agreed access, in collaboration with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), to private hospital services to address the HSE’s priority needs in providing both essential care and addressing elective care for public patients experiencing delays. The HSE is undertaking bilateral discussions with individual private hospitals to seek to agree new arrangements which would provide the HSE with access to private hospital capacity in the event of a surge of Covid-19 cases.
The HSE continues to work to ensure that capacity exists within the health service to meet the needs of patients during this unique and challenging time. Future planning remains a critical priority for me and my Department.
As part of the Winter and Service Planning process, the HSE is undertaking a strategic approach to service resumption. This includes the development of a longer-term plan to include augmented levels of service to regain a level of provision across community and acute hospitals where capacity was adversely impacted by COVID 19.
The immediate priority for the HSE is the finalisation of a Winter Plan which incorporates the enhancement of services to cope with Winter pressures into early 2021 to ensure the capacity and capability of the health system is prepared for this challenging period. The various initiatives proposed in the plan are designed to reduce attendances and admissions, and improve capacity and throughput in hospitals.
In terms of Service Planning, a range of initiatives have been developed by the HSE, which will support service resumption and increased capacity across the Community and Acute hospital systems, which will be rolled out in the coming weeks and months. This includes establishing key community services envisioned in Sláintecare and the 2018 Capacity Review, while building toward the appropriate level of capacity in our acute hospital services.
The HSE is also currently working to secure access to private hospital facilities for urgent and time critical procedures. A procurement process is currently in train to secure access to additional acute services and diagnostic capacity from private providers which is required to address capacity needs over the next two year. The National Treatment Purchase Fund has also resumed its operations with regard to procuring services to address waiting lists.
