Alan Farrell
Question:1419. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the measures being considered to prepare hospitals for the winter season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42894/21]
View answerThursday, 9 September 2021
Questions (1419)
Written answers
The Government allocated an unprecedented investment of €600 million to support the roll out of the Winter Plan 2020/2021. The Plan provided additional permanent acute bed capacity, additional home support hours, additional community-based services and an expanded flu vaccination programme to alleviate pressure on hospital emergency departments (EDs).
The HSE is currently working on developing a plan to deal with the additional pressures on hospital EDs during the winter months. The plan will be developed, within allocated resources, in the context of the additional challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Details of the 2021/22 Winter Plan will be published in due course. The HSE is also in the advanced stages of planning the 2021/2022 Influenza Vaccination Programme. It is anticipated that immunisations will begin in early October and will be available free of charge to adults in specified at-risk groups and children aged from 2 to 17 years of age.
The plan will build on the significant resources put in place under the winter plan for 20/21 which provided additional permanent acute bed capacity, additional home support hours, additional community-based services and an expanded flu vaccination programme to alleviate pressure on hospital emergency departments (EDs) and targeted initiatives to address population health needs which combine the need to shift care to home and ambulatory care environments, especially for high-risk cohorts such as elderly patients and those with chronic illnesses.