While significant investment has been driven through Winter Planning and National Service Plans over the past three years, a new approach to Urgent and Emergency Care planning in now required in response the changing demands.
This approach is twofold:
• The delivery of an Urgent and Emergency Care Operational Plan for 2023, which was signed off by Government at the end of July; and
• The delivery of a 3-year multi-annual Urgent and Emergency Care Strategy, which is currently being prepared for government.
A HSE review of Injury Units and Medical Assessment Units looked in detail at the activity, capacity, staffing and operations of existing Units across the Model 2 Hospitals, as well as areas having the most potential need for additional injury units. A key action identified in the Urgent and Emergency Care Operational Plan 2023 is to expand and standardise Local Injury Unit and Medical Assessment Unit hours in line with that review.