Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
1576. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the additional acute bed capacity provided in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, to date in 2019; and his plans for same during the remainder of 2019. [33447/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Capacity Review published last year was clear on the need for a major investment in additional capacity in both hospital and community – combined with a wide scale reform of the manner and the location of where health services are provided.
An additional 267 acute hospital beds opened under the Winter Initiative 2017/2018, including 20 beds which opened in Beaumont Hospital in December 2017.
The main elements of the 2019 capacity programme are:
- the provision of 75 acute beds and 70 community beds under the Winter Plan 2018/19 - the HSE have confirmed that 75 acute beds and 59 community beds have been opened to date;
- 47 additional beds, including a 40-bed modular build in South Tipperary General Hospital, 4 HDU beds in Cork University Hospital, and 3 HDU beds in the Mater which are due to open by Q4 2019;
- preparation of 202 beds during 2019, with a view to bringing this extra capacity into operation in Q1 of 2020;
- commencement of works on a 60-bed modular ward in University Hospital Limerick.
No additional beds for Beaumont Hospital are included in the National Service Plan for 2019.
