Duncan Smith
Ceist:52. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to detail his plan to solve the ongoing accident and emergency crisis in UHL; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19401/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 2 May 2024
Ceisteanna (52)
Freagraí scríofa
The Emergency Department of UHL continues to manage high volumes of patients. To 21 April 2024, UHL ED has seen 12% more presentations versus the same period last year.
There is continued investment in UHL to provide the nurses, doctors and staff with the resources they need. The extension of Safe Staffing to EDs, general and specialised medical and surgical settings is fully funded and are exempt from any moratorium on recruitment. Safe staffing has been in place in the ED since September 2023, following the recruitment of an additional 21.5 whole-time staff nurses. Recruitment has commenced to extend Safe staffing to all inpatient wards at the hospital and will be complete by end of 2024. The budget for UHL has been growing, and this year is €382 million, a 44% increase in five years.
Bed capacity is increasing, while acknowledging more is needed. Work commenced on a new 96-bed ward block at UHL last year, which is expected to be open next year. This first block will add an additional 71 new acute beds to UHL. The remaining 25 new beds will replace existing beds from nightingale wards that require replacement and refurbishment in line with regulatory requirements. Preparatory works have also commenced for a second 96-bed block. All steps are to be taken to accelerate this. All 96 beds will be additional beds for the hospital.
Minister Donnelly visited UHL in April and met with senior management, doctors and nurses. He announced a package of actions to alleviate the pressures at UHL, and to support staff in implementing reforms to work practices to better suit patients.
The package includes:
• a procurement process for the operation of the new 50 bed Community Nursing Unit in Nenagh as a step down and rehabilitation facility for UHL for one year until the first 96 bed block is opened;
• a further 20 permanent step-down transition & rehab beds will be procured in Clare;
• 16 additional fast build beds are to be commissioned onsite with this capacity to be available in advance of next winter’s surge;
• the opening hours of the region’s three Acute Medical Assessment Units at Nenagh, Ennis and St John’s are to be extended to 24/7 on a phased basis;
• UHL is now providing GP and Advanced Nurse Practitioner-on-the-door services for the ED in an effort to alleviate overcrowding and allow the ED staff to concentrate on treating urgent and emergency patients in a timelier manner.
• senior decision makers will be rostered on site, both in the ED and throughout the hospital, after hours and at weekends. There will be a progression to immediate rostering over six and where contractually possible seven days.
• a targeted campaign to increase the number of consultants on the Public-Only Consultant Contract in UHL. A deployment review of those on the new contract;
• an All-of-Hospital approach to treating ED patients, including presence of non-ED consultants to support ED colleagues in the Emergency Department when necessary
• a strong patient flow team in place 7 days per week.
On 30 April Minister Donnelly and the Chief Executive of the HSE, Bernard Gloster announced a support team to address the current pressures on health services in the Mid West region. The team will begin work immediately and over a four-week period to help devise a number of actions designed in particular to ease overcrowding and pressures in the ED at UHL.