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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

Ceisteanna (959)

Marc MacSharry

Ceist:

959. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Health the activity volumes per month at each of the 18 private hospitals which were part of the provision of public health services in private hospitals as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic covering the full duration of the agreement, including but not limited to inpatient, outpatient, elective and all other activities and procedures undertaken under the agreement; and the costs associated with each collectively and at each hospital which was party to the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18283/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

A major part of the Government's Action Plan in response to Covid-19 was to substantially increase the capacity of public healthcare facilities to cope with the anticipated additional demand. In order to urgently ramp up capacity for acute care facilities, an arrangement was agreed with the private hospitals to use their facilities as part of the public system on a temporary basis, to provide essential services. A Heads of Terms of Agreement between the HSE and the Private Hospitals was agreed at the end of March 2020 and all 18 of the acute private hospitals signed up to it. Under the arrangement, all patients in the private hospitals were treated as public patients and their treatment was prioritised based on clinical need.

The agreement was reviewed at the end of May and the Government decided that the existing arrangement should not be extended beyond the end of June. It has however mandated the HSE to negotiate a new arrangement with private hospitals which would provide the HSE with full access to private hospital capacity in the event of a surge of Covid-19 and separately with ongoing agreed access, to enable the HSE to meet essential and elective care needs.

My Department has been advised by the HSE that as of July 3, 12,959 patients had been discharged from private hospitals having undergone an inpatient procedure between April and June 2020. In the same period 53,609 day case procedures took place in private hospitals, as well as 85,658 diagnostic appointments and 52,096 outpatient appointments.

In relation to the more detailed breakdown requested concerning the activity levels per month at each of the 18 private hospitals which were part of the agreement with the HSE, and the associated costs, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

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