Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 July 2017
844. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied on the way in which overcrowding in emergency departments is being tackled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35569/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to acknowledge the distress to patients, their families and those fronting staff experiencing overcrowding in Emergency Departments throughout the country, and I would like to reiterate my commitment as Minister to working towards improving access and waiting times for Emergency Care for patients.
In relation to ED overcrowding, data from the HSE indicates that the national picture improved from January to early May 2017. However, since May, there has been an increase in trolley numbers due to a series of factors including increased ED attendances, ED admission rates, elective activity and delayed discharges at certain hospitals. For example this year to the end of June attendances at EDs have increased by 1.7% nationally.
In September 2016 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. It ran over the winter period, from early October and concluded at the end of March. Following on from the Winter Initiative, a Roadmap was developed by the HSE and Department, setting out an approach to driving incremental reduction through process improvement in both trolley numbers and wait times.
Currently the HSE is engaged in a process of working with Hospital Groups and individual hospitals to progress winter planning for this year. In addition the Department, in conjunction with the HSE, continue to examine possible measures to be put in place as part of a programme of work to be implemented over the next 18 months aimed at providing improved access to scheduled and unscheduled care.
