Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
664. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the consideration he has given to moving medical appointments into health centres during Covid-19 in order that safe social distancing can be maintained in accident and emergency departments. [9153/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere was a 21.1% reduction in Emergency Department (ED) attendances nationally this year up to the end of April 2020 compared to the same period last year.
The numbers attending emergency departments has shown a steady increase in recent weeks. There were 22,078 ED attendances in Week 21(20 - 26 May 2020), up 4.6% from the previous week. The lowest attendance was 12,908 in week 13 (w/e 25 March). The expected weekly level of attendance at this time of year would be in the region of 25,000 to 26,000.
Presentation at emergency departments are not appointment based and therefore moving medical appointments to health centres would not impact on the numbers attending ED's. Any decision to transfer additional activity to health centres would have to be carefully considered to ensure that health centres were operating in line with public health guidelines in relation to social distancing.
On 5 May 2020, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) agreed that its recommendation of 27 March to pause all non-essential health services should be replaced with a recommendation that delivery of acute care be determined by appropriate clinical and operational decision-making.
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly in relation to the arrangement in place to ensure that emergency departments operate in line with public health guidelines.
