Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
41. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which his Department and the HSE have engaged with the various hospitals throughout the country with a view to improving the throughput at accident and emergency services in order to ensure early diagnosis/full triage in the shortest possible time and conscious of the need to treat emergencies as such from the outside; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1816/24]
View answerThe Government is extremely conscious of the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments cause and the very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country.
This winter is the first winter we are using an all-year approach to urgent and emergency care, since the switch last year from annual winter plans recognising that the required investment, changes and supports go beyond winter.
The Urgent and Emergency Care Operational Plan for 2023 was signed off by Government in July. The 2023 UEC Operational Plan will be the foundation for the 2024 UEC Operational plan, providing continuation and sustainability to the improvements achieved thus far.
A key priority of the Department of Health and the HSE is the improvement of ED Patient Experience Times (PET) and reform of service delivery across the entire health system is a key part of achieving this.
The health service is concentrating on improving PET for the over-75s as a priority patient cohort and the most likely to require longer hospital stays.
Delivering additional and extended hours for senior decision makers and staff integral to patient flow significantly improves the weekend discharge rates, which is good measure for the delivery of a seven-day service on behalf of patients.
The UEC Operational Plan focuses on improving four key performance indicators and has set the following targets:
• No patient aged over 75 years will wait more than 24 hours in ED’s nationally.
• The total number of Delayed Transfer of Care (DTOC) patients is 440
• The average monthly trolley count at 8am not to exceed 320
• The average length of stay for those over 14 days not to exceed 28 days.
