Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2022
717. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to reduce overcrowding at emergency departments and to reduce wait times; the further actions that are being considered by the HSE to reduce ED wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35610/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been engaging with the HSE to address ED overcrowding, including excessive waiting times. In April I requested that the HSE set out the short term, immediate actions to alleviate the current situation in EDs, and ensure the system is best positioned for next winter. I also requested the development of a longer-term programme for reform and improvement of unscheduled care, to ensure that EDs are in a position to cater for expected increases in demand driven by population growth and an aging population.
I met with senior officials from the HSE on a number of occasions, most recently on 23rd June, to discuss the immediate responses required to tackle the pressures currently being faced by all 29 Emergency Departments across the country. I wrote to the HSE on 27th June to request the HSE urgently commence the implementation of the short-term measures identified for each ED.
My Department and the HSE will continue to work together to develop a programme building on these measures with a suite of longer-term actions to deliver systemic change to how unscheduled care is delivered. The overarching aim of this programme is to transform unscheduled care delivery across the full patient flow continuum in a structured, systemised and governed manner which is measurable and sustainable. This programme will adopt a 3-year phased approach.
The programme will be developed according to the ‘Five Fundamentals of Unscheduled Care’, which were designed and developed as an integrated framework to support sustainable and scalable unscheduled care improvement in line with the Sláintecare vision and goals. The Fundamentals were developed through an international review of published frameworks for improving unscheduled care performance. The five areas of focus are:
- Leadership, Culture and Governance
- Patient Flow at Pre-Admission
- Patient Flow at Post-Admission
- Integrated Community and Hospital Services
- Using Information to support sustainable Performance Improvement.
The patient will be at the centre of all initiatives. This framework follows a robust programmatic approach ensuring a standardised improvement approach is taken nationally while allowing for local bespoke improvement initiatives to be developed and locally owned. Enablers including data, reporting systems and project management will be provided in order to effect and sustain change. The approach is underpinned by the ethos – ‘clinically led, excellently managed’.
I will update the Dáil further as this plan progresses.
