Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
1446. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if the intensive care unit at Mayo University Hospital has received an increased allocation of funding given that intensive care units across the country were allocated additional funding during the pandemic. [29138/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to addressing the long-standing deficit in critical care capacity. Very significant funding of €77 million has been provided by Government across 2021 and 2022, to increase national capacity to 340 critical care beds by 2023. The HSE has advised that 51 of these beds are now open, bringing permanent adult critical care capacity to 306 beds, from a baseline of 255 beds in early 2020.
The Strategic Plan for Critical Care, which I brought to Government in December 2020, will when implemented fully address the recommendation of the 2018 Health Service Capacity Review for 430 critical care beds by 2031. In fact, it surpasses that recommendation, delivering an increase in capacity to 446 over time.
Importantly, capacity expansion in critical care is focused on the larger “hub” hospitals, in line with the clinical advice and hub and spoke model of care for critical care. The funding provided in 2021 and 2022 has allowed for the opening of eight additional critical care beds in Saolta University Health Care Group, including six beds in University Hospital Galway, one in Sligo University Hospital and one in Letterkenny University Hospital.
The provision of additional critical care capacity in accordance with the hub-and-spoke model of care also reflects the overall strategic direction of Sláintecare - delivery of the right care, in the right place at the right time.
