Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
1736. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health when the HSE will provide the financial resources to Letterkenny University Hospital as promised in October 2018 to enable it to reopen all 20 beds in the short-stay ward. [33866/19]
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, and the National Service Plan for 2019 provides for a comprehensive capacity programme. 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, including 5 beds that opened in Letterkenny University Hospital in June 2019;
- 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, including a further 15 beds in Letterkenny University Hospital, 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.
With regard to the specific question the Deputy has asked, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly.
