Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021
204. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the projected number of additional beds to be provided under the winter planning within the Covid-19 pandemic October 2020–April 2021 plan; the additional beds provided to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49953/21]
View answerMy Department is working with the HSE to increase acute capacity in hospitals throughout the country. The Government allocated €236 million revenue and €40 million capital expenditure as part of Budget 2021 and the Winter Plan 2020/21 to fund 1,146 additional acute beds (excluding critical care), on a permanent basis by the end of 2021.
As of the end of September 2021, the HSE has reported that 790 of these beds had opened. A further 148 beds are due to open between now and year-end 2021, and an additional 184 acute beds are scheduled to come on stream in 2022. The HSE has advised that 30 beds contained in the initial plan will not open due to a variety of issues ranging from lack of physical space to lack of clinical capacity and staffing challenges. These additional beds represent a significant step towards achieving the recommendations in the 2018 Health Service Capacity Review which found that an additional 2,590 acute beds would be required by 2031 under a reform scenario, to support the projected increase in demand for services in the years ahead.
