Violet-Anne Wynne
Ceist:1221. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he has confidence in an entity (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36108/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 25 July 2023
Ceisteanna (1221)
Freagraí scríofa
I fully recognise the effects that issues such as overcrowding at the Emergency Department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and delays to treatment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic have had on patients, their families and staff working in the University of Limerick Hospital Group (ULHG). Following interventions made last year, there has been ongoing intensive engagement with ULHG in response to concerns about the ED at UHL. As a result, significant supports were provided to the hospitals and community services to help drive a programme of work to respond more effectively to the pressures at the hospital.
Because of those supports, and additional investment provided, ULHG has been implementing important measures which include a renewed focus on hospital avoidance, patient flow and discharge planning, and regular and frequent assessment of patients with long stays in hospital. ULHG has also recruited additional staff over the last year, including emergency medicine consultants and non-consultant hospital doctors. In tandem with these measures, initiatives commenced as part of the last Winter Plan have continued beyond the end of the winter period, to build sustainable improvements. These include actions such as the expansion of the OPTIMEND service provision to ensure timely assessment and intervention among people aged 75 years and older, and the recruitment of additional ED registrars and physiotherapists for Community Intervention Teams.
ULHG has also invested significantly in their Model 2 hospitals to enhance non-acute patient care. In April 2022, the new purpose-built €2m Injury Unit at Ennis Hospital opened, replacing the existing unit that had operated out of the main hospital building since 2013. The new Unit, which I formally opened last month, has brought an immediate improvement in the clinical environment and experience for healthcare staff and the thousands of patients who use this service every year. There has also been investment in equipping the Outpatient Department, including provision of X-Ray Room and other diagnostics, in Phase 1b of the redevelopment of Ennis General Hospital and in redevelopment works to provide two replacement theatres and supporting facilities.
In addition, ULHG has confirmed that, through funding of €5.2m secured from the HSE, the Medical Assessment Units (MAUs) at Ennis Hospital, Nenagh, and St John’s now all operate seven days per week. This funding will see 51 additional Whole-Time Equivalents recruited across a number of specialties for the MAU services.
Another important development implemented by ULHG is the introduction of the MAU pathway for 112/999 patients at Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals. This allows patients that meet agreed clinical criteria to be transferred by ambulance and treated in a Model 2 hospital. This pathway is resulting in patients receiving medical treatment in a hospital closer to their home, is reducing patient presentations to EDs and is helping to release ambulances more quickly to respond to other emergency calls. The MAUs in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals treat patients referred by GPs, ShannonDoc, and now National Ambulance Service paramedics. In addition to Ennis and Nenagh, it is envisaged that the MAU pathway for 112/999 patients will commence operations at St John's Hospital, Limerick by the end of July 2023.
In addition to this work, UHL has received significant infrastructural investment in recent years. For example, in October 2022, I broke ground on the new 96-bed inpatient block project at UHL. This project represents a total capital investment of just over €90 million, and will deliver a 4-storey, 96 single bed acute inpatient ward block and will go some way toward addressing capacity issues in the region. In 2021, a new 60-bed modular ward block opened. This follows the completion of two separate rapid-build projects, constructed in response to the Covid-19 emergency, which provided an additional 38 inpatient beds on site at UHL. In total, 150 additional beds have been opened in the ULHG since 1st January 2020 and 98 of these beds are in UHL.
Following these and other investments across the wider ULHG, consideration is also being given to future capacity requirements. It is noted that ULHG has developed proposals in this regard. These proposals will be considered by the hospital group and the HSE in line with their governance processes.
Complementary to the development of the new Elective Hospitals, the HSE also plans to work with Hospital Groups and forthcoming Regional Health Areas to progress proposals for a shorter-term measure by developing ‘Surgical Hubs’ in Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Dublin with a narrower scope of procedures. Regarding the Surgical Hub for Limerick, planning is at an early stage, and I have asked the HSE to expedite the development, so it is operational as soon as possible.
My Department continues to work with the HSE to ensure the improvement of services for all patients in the Midwest region continues. While I recognise that there is more to be done, particularly in relation to the ED, improvements are being made. This was acknowledged in the context of HIQA’s recent inspection report of UHL against the National Standards, in comparison to their previous report from March 2022. In that regard, I am confident that the measures being taken as a result of the additional investment and support provided to ULHG will help to further improve services at UHL and across the group.