Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 November 2021
344. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if alternative arrangements can be made available in the community in view of the fact that emergency departments in hospitals are seeing a surge in elderly persons presenting themselves to the departments for various non-Covid-19 related health issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55239/21]
View answerI wish to acknowledge the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments cause to patients, their families, and frontline staff working in very challenging conditions in hospitals throughout the country. The HSE reports that emergency department attendances have now reached 2019 levels, exceeding them at some sites, and the numbers of patients waiting on trolleys for hospital admission have been increasing steadily over the past several months. This winter is expected to be particularly challenging with the continued need to manage Covid-19 in our hospitals while facing the high winter demand for ED services, particularly by older persons.
The Winter Plan 2021/22 is in active development by the HSE and a revised plan has just been submitted on foot of a request by the Department of Health. The revised Plan will reflect the funding available and set out the measures to be implemented and the expected impacts. My Department is continuing to engage intensively with the HSE on the issue, and a finalised Winter Plan will be published in due course.
As part of the Winter Plan 2021/22, the HSE are preparing for the volume of both unscheduled and scheduled activity to return to previous levels. In order to accommodate this demand the HSE will implement new ways of working, open additional capacity, and continue to enhance infection prevention and control measures in our healthcare facilities.
In line with the Sláintecare 'right care, right time, right place' approach, the Winter Plan will be targeted at optimising and creating capacity at three critical stages in the patient pathway: avoidance of hospital admittance unless absolutely essential, patient flow through our hospitals, and safe and timely egress of patients from hospital. As in previous years, Winter Plan initiatives will aim to reduce demand on emergency care by providing additional acute bed capacity, alternative care pathways in the primary care and community care sectors, and additional discharge supports in the community.
The Government is continuing to invest in the development of primary and community services through the Enhanced Community Care programme. Some €195m was allocated in Budget 2022 to build on the progress made this year and to ensure the continued rollout of 96 Community Healthcare Networks across the country as well as the establishment of specialist community teams for older persons and those with chronic conditions.
The development of these networks and teams, alongside other initiatives such as improved GP access to diagnostics, expanded Community Intervention Teams and the development of Primary Care Centres, will enhance capacity in community services and ease pressure on hospital EDs.
