Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 December 2022
358. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that health services are not reduced at a healthcare facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60075/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra367. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if ambulances are being redirected to Drogheda accident and emergency from Navan, Kells and Trim areas on an informal basis (details supplied). [60138/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra368. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that both Navan and Drogheda accident and emergencies are under enormous pressure in terms of the number of patients that are attending them; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that hospital corridors and accident and emergency waiting rooms are full at the moment with patients (details supplied). [60139/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra370. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if permission was given to the HSE for a two-part closure of Navan accident and emergency; if permission was given to the HSE to redirect ambulances from Navan hospital accident and emergency to Drogheda hospital accident and emergency from mid-December 2022; his views that it would be safe to partially close Navan accident and emergency in the middle of the winter surge; and if he has asked the clinicians in Drogheda hospital for the reason that they opposed this decision. [60141/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 358, 367, 368 and 370 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE has proposed a process of planned service changes at Our Lady's Hospital Navan and has advised that these changes are necessary to support safe service delivery on a sustained basis and are driven first and foremost by patient safety considerations.
No decision regarding the HSE’s proposal for the transition of the Emergency Department at Navan has been agreed by the Minister, or government.
While recognising the very real clinical concerns identified, the Government is clear that several important issues, including additional capacity in other hospitals impacted and the continued ability of people in the Navan area to access emergency and urgent care, would need to be fully addressed before any proposed transition by the HSE.
For this reason, I have asked the HSE to undertake a review of capacity. The review has been received and is currently under consideration.
From 12 December, the existing ambulance bypass protocols, in place for Our Lady’s Hospital Navan, are being updated to address urgent patient safety matters to include patients who are critically or seriously unwell, or likely to deteriorate. The current ambulance bypass protocol includes paediatric patients, obstetrics patients, major trauma patients, heart attack patients, and stroke care patients.
The HSE Winter Plan for 2022-23, published on 11 October, will support acute and community services this winter to respond to anticipated high levels of emergency attendances and admissions across the acute sector, long waiting times in EDs, and high occupancy rates across acute hospital settings.
