Billy Kelleher
Ceist:85. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the ongoing difficulties in emergency departments in the south/south west hospital group. [20742/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 3 May 2017
Ceisteanna (85)
Freagraí scríofa
Since the start of 2017 there have been approximately 5% less patients waiting on trolleys nationally compared to the same period last year.
As the Deputy will be aware, in September the HSE launched its ‘Winter Initiative Plan 2016-2017’ which provided €40 million of additional funding for winter preparedness. This Initiative was developed to manage the expected winter surge in demand for hospital care in an integrated way across Primary, Acute and Social Care.
A range of practical measures to address ED overcrowding were implemented, including 90 additional beds, aids and appliances for over 4,450 patients, around 1,000 extra homecare packages and 615 additional transitional care bed approvals.
During the Winter Initiative, delayed discharges reduced from 638 in September 2016 to a low of 434 at the end of December and were maintained below 500 from mid-December through to end February. This had a positive impact on ED overcrowding and trolley numbers, in freeing up beds for use by patients awaiting admission to hospital.
Under the Winter Initiative, three hospitals from the South/South West Hospital Group, (Cork University Hospital, South Tipperary General Hospital and University Hospital Waterford) were identified as focus sites in terms of ED congestion and as such Improvement Plans have been put in place setting out specific mitigating actions to support patient flow and improve processes in these EDs. The Mercy University Hospital in Cork also benefited from 18 new step-down acute beds under the Winter Initiative this year which has increased capacity within the South/South West Hospital Group and within the Cork area.
I can assure the Deputy that there continues to be a very strong focus on reducing ED overcrowding. My Department and the HSE are currently engaged in a process to commence winter planning for next year and to achieve an improvement trajectory in ED performance.
The HSE's Special Delivery Unit continues to work closely with hospitals in the South/South West Hospital Group to identify improvements that can be made to support patient flow, reduce trolley numbers and improve patients' ED experience.
Question No. 86 answered with Question No. 80.