Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 February 2012
68 Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if the 24-hour accident and emergency service at James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Dublin, will remain in place this year as previously indicated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8291/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI believe we must concentrate on getting the best possible services for patients from the budgets available to us. This means we need to focus on the throughput of patients, on reducing length of stay to international norms and on having as many procedures as possible carried out as day cases rather than inpatient work.
The organisation of hospital services nationally, regionally and locally will be informed by the Clinical Care Programmes. Together with the work of the Special Delivery Unit, implementation of these programmes will help to improve the efficiency of our hospitals, allowing us to treat as many patients as possible within budget and reducing the need for many emergency admissions.
In the current economic climate the acute sector must reduce its cost in order to deliver the agreed level of activity within the resources available to it. The emphasis for the HSE in 2012 will be to continue its focus on the effective use of acute capacity through shorter length of stay, increased rates of day-of-surgery admission and more day surgery. In this way the acute hospital system can ensure that, within the level of resources available, it facilitates the maximum number of patients with safe, effective and efficient care.
Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown received its allocated budget for 2012 at the end of last week and the Hospital's cost containment plan for 2012 is currently in draft format. The Hospital Executive is currently in discussions with the HSE and the Regional Director of Operations for the area with regard to the plan. There are no plans in place to change the emergency department service in Connolly Hospital.
