Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2020
645. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of funded adult ICU beds in the public system at the end of each year from 2016 to 2019 and projected for the end of 2020 and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31393/20]
View answer646. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of baseline adult ICU beds in the public system at the end of each year from 2016 to 2019 and projected for the end of 2020 and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31394/20]
View answer647. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of staffed adult ICU beds operational and available in the public system on the first day of the month for each month in 2019 and up to September 2020, by month in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31395/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 645 to 647, inclusive, together.
At the start of the year, permanent adult critical care capacity in Ireland stood at 255 beds, according to the National Office of Clinical Audit. This included 204 Level 3 ICU beds and 51 Level 2 HDU beds. As part of the initial response to the pandemic, funding was provided for an additional 40 adult critical care beds in March 2020 as well as two paediatric beds. The HSE has advised that between 280 and 285 critical care beds are currently open, with the number open any given day subject to fluctuation in respect of available staff and other operational considerations.
Budget 2021 will allocate funding totalling €52m in 2021 to critical care. This will retain, on a permanent basis, the 42 critical care beds put in place on a temporary basis this year and add significant new capacity. Funded adult critical care beds will increase to 321 by end 2021, an increase of 66 over the baseline number of 255 funded beds in 2020. Funding for 2021 will also include money to allow for the development of a workforce plan as well as education initiatives to grow the critical care workforce.
In relation to the specific information requested by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
