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Hospitals and EDs 'don't hold all solutions to overcrowding', Donnelly tells committee

The health minister acknowledged that waiting lists for scheduled care increased by nearly 60% between 2015 and 2021.

MINISTER FOR HEALTH Stephen Donnelly has told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health that an emphasis on care in community and home settings is crucial to decreasing hospital overcrowding.

In his opening statement to the committee this morning, the minister said: 

“Not all of the solutions to overcrowding are found in the Emergency Departments or even in hospitals.”

Donnelly highlighted the length of hospital waiting times and the fact that waiting lists
for scheduled care increased by nearly 60% between 2015 and 2021.

The government allocated €363m to remove 1.66 million patients from waiting lists as part of its 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, he said, which is projected to result in a reduction of 10% to the number of people on waiting lists.

He added that a “multi-annual approach” was underway to achieve a maximum wait time of 10 and 12 weeks and that expanding Community Intervention Team (CIT) services was part of the solution.

CIT services provide an “integrated response to patients experiencing an acute episode of illness and facilitates the delivery of enhanced care in thecommunity or home setting”, the minister said.

“We are currently providing for further expansion of CITs across the country, with a particular focus on the Mid-West and North-West regions.”

“Over the last three years we have added nearly 1,000 hospital beds, 410 community beds and 65 critical care beds. 261 Acute beds and 16 Critical Care beds are expected to be constructed under the Capital Programme 2023.”

“In addition, I am in discussions with government colleagues on a proposal to expedite the construction and delivery of 1,500 additional hospital beds,” he added.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, there were 592 patients waiting for hospital beds yesterday, while Donnelly acknowledged the health service had “a long long way to go” before it could meet waiting list targets.

Sinn Féin spokesperson on health David Cullinane told the minister:

“There has been some reduction in wait times, that reduction is quite small compared to the growth of the waiting list that you outlined yourself from 2015.”

“In terms of acute hospital numbers in January 2020, it was 776,000. In March 2023 it was 885,000. That’s still a significant increase.”

Cullianne added that the number of patients of trolleys is “averaging now at about 560 patients a day, every day this month, it’s almost the new normal”.

“There’ll be a long, long, long way to go before we get anywhere near meeting the Sláintecare targets, would you accept that?”

Donnelly replied that he would “fully accept” those figures but added “it is important that we say that very significant progress is being made”.

The minister said that annual funding of €195 million has been allocated to the continued implementation of the Enhanced Community Care (ECC) Programme and that 94 of the planned 96 Community Health Networks (CHNS) are now established. 

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    Mute Chutes
    Favourite Chutes
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    Apr 26th 2023, 11:05 AM

    Correct me if I’m wrong Minister but isn’t your job finding the solutions? What have you found for us that hasn’t made things worse throughout the creaking system?
    Why is it that Doctors have all the time in the world for private patients and so little for public?
    Why is it that over worked nurses, doctors and other frontline staff are unsupported by the excellent renumeration they so deserve?
    Why are you such an unmitigated failure in your position?
    Was it because we elect people with no apparent qualifications to do jobs that require competence to at least a minimum acceptable level for all in the interests of all?
    Why is it we as a public continue to tolerate failure followed by such serious consequences?

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    Mute Brian Dunne
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    Apr 26th 2023, 10:39 AM

    Absolute spoofer. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a minister so out of his depth.

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    Mute John Long
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    Apr 26th 2023, 11:44 AM

    @Brian Dunne: They all are. It’s pathetic being honest.

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    Mute Declan Moran
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    Apr 26th 2023, 11:02 AM

    The best solution would be to remove this muppet from his role as min for health. Should have happened a long time ago

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    Mute Terry Molloy
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    Apr 26th 2023, 11:55 AM

    In 2004 I had a stroke, the hospitals were overcrowded then and through successive FF, FG, labour the Greens governments they have done nothing and 2023 is as bad now as it has ever been!

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    Mute Jack Cronin
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    Apr 26th 2023, 10:46 AM

    I suppose people could compare their dietary habits to their ancestors and realise that our bodies simply haven’t adapted to our current food options and thus make a few changes. Some of the “western” food option are extremely unhealthy in large quantities.

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    Mute William slevin
    Favourite William slevin
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    Apr 26th 2023, 10:41 AM

    It seems no does yet all paid the big bucks in the upper levels and government that has managed and created this disaster of a “health care system”

    Next they will be bringing in the canadian style of health service to ease the burden on the system…kill the patients by means of assisted suicide for things that can be fixed…nah just kill’em be easier…ffs

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    Mute Chutes
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    Apr 26th 2023, 12:15 PM

    @William slevin: OMG William you’re such a dramatist lol!

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    Mute Lily Martin
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    Apr 26th 2023, 1:28 PM

    “it’s important that we say that significant progress is being made”. He’s very good at saying things but woeful at getting anything actually done.

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    Mute Mark Murphy
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    Apr 26th 2023, 11:32 AM

    I’ve lovely cap for Ur head Donnelly haha as hopefully now nice weather is coming,hope it will help ya make better decisions for the PEOPLE OF IRELAND.

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    Mute Gerry Kelly
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    Apr 26th 2023, 2:42 PM

    “Very significant progress is being made”
    AND
    That nice Mr Watt is getting paid 295K per annum
    So it’s all good….

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    Mute William slevin
    Favourite William slevin
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    Apr 26th 2023, 3:11 PM

    @chute:”@William slevin: OMG William you’re such a dramatist lol!”

    Am I though…AM I THOUGH…lol but in all seriousness though its a real problem in Canada…could becoming to a hospital near you soon…

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    Mute Martin C
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    Apr 27th 2023, 8:59 AM

    @William slevin: no its not William!

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    Mute Stephen Walshe
    Favourite Stephen Walshe
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    Apr 30th 2023, 10:25 AM

    Useless egghead

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