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Health Committee to discuss hospital overcrowding

3 Jul 2018, 11:23

The Joint Committee on Health will meet tomorrow to discuss hospital overcrowding and delays in admissions and outpatient appointments.

Officials from the Department of Health and representatives from the HSE will appear before the Committee:

Chairperson of the Health Committee, Dr Michael Harty TD said today, “Hospital overcrowding remains one of the most problematic and urgent problems facing the health system. Hospitals and staff are often under exceptional pressure and patients are treated on trolleys, depriving them of comfort and privacy at a time when they are vulnerable. Tomorrow the Committee will question the department and the HSE on the measures being taken to reduce overcrowding and outpatient delays. While there will always be busy periods, like the winter time, it is unacceptable to allow overcrowding and delays to continue year after year and expect the public to accept it. The Health Committee wants to see real progress being made to increase bed capacity and simultaneously better manage the existing capacity. Reducing waiting times will inevitably lead to better patient outcomes and more efficient management of patient flow through the health system.”

The meeting will start at 9am in Committee Room 3

Media enquiries

Nuala Walsh,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
+353 1 618 3437
+353 86 4100 898
nuala.walsh@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: @OireachtasNews

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