Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THERE WAS A significant increase in the number of over-75s attending emergency departments last week compared to the same time in 2018, according to new figures released by the HSE.
And while the overall number of people attending EDs and being admitted to hospital was down compared to the previous week, it still represented a marked increase on the previous year.
The figures, covering December 18 to December 24 and presented this afternoon at a meeting of the HSE’s Winter Oversight Group, reveal that 25,584 people attended EDs – down 4.9% on December 11 to December 17 but up 14.2% on the same time in 2018.
Of these, 6,810 people were then admitted to hospital – down less than 1% on the previous week but up 6.9% on the previous year.
Within this, there was a spike in the number of over-75s attending, up 10.7% on the previous week, and up almost 25% on 2018.
“That, for us, is a very significant shift,” the HSE’s chief operations officer Anne O’Connor said.
The important thing about this is that when we have people who are over 75 coming into hospital, they stay for longer… they will stay, on average, for 10 to 15 days instead of five to 10 days, and that has a bearing on how people can move through our hospitals.
The HSE has previously flagged that the flu season came four weeks earlier this year than expected, but there is hope that the number of patients presenting with influenza has reached its peak. Week-on-week, the number of cases is down from 1,005 to 867.
However, O’Connor stressed that as activity picks up in hospitals after the Christmas holiday, more flu testing will be carried out, and this figure might not represent a true decrease.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Minister for Health Simon Harris said that the increase in the numbers of over-75s attending will ‘add pressure’ to the hospital system, but that he “very satisfied that the incredibly dedicated staff are doing everything they can”.
“When I hear doctors rightly say, ‘we need more capacity, we need more doctors’, I agree with [them],” he added, stressing that he plans to hold talks in January with doctors to discuss ways of boosting recruitment and retainment.
Minister Harris added that in some cases of flu, the patient will be able to effectively treat themselves at home, and it’s best to visit UnderTheWeather.ie before adding your GP or, if needed, an ED.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
bit harsh on the victims familys,they took them for a bit of recreational fun presumably with tragic outcome,same way as you meant no harm not paying your tv license but you can always pay a fine or buy a tv licence,im sure that family would pay any amount of money to have there kids alive ,I hope the court throws the book at you for that comment,insensitive arsehole
May they rest in peace.!!
They are somebody’s Sons, Brothers, Uncles.. Could have been Fathers themselves.. So tragic..
@eddie .. You are spouting that ‘freeman’ nonsense which has been doing the rounds for a while now and is total rubbish … Your understanding of even the principal of what a commercial court is a total affront to your argument.
Anyway back on point .. Two young lives lost tragic no matter what way you look at it
What a stupid comment. Two lads died and your worried about your tv license. Lots of young fellas experiment with drugs, they hardly deserve to die because of it! Let’s hope your son or daughter never experiments with drugs, im sure you would change your opinion if you thought about the people involved. Ps, pay your tv license like the rest of us!
@eddie good comment nice to see some humour after these tragic events and someone trying to equate no tv license to the death of two young men
It’s a tragic death by misadventure but I would equate it to a hand gliding or scuba diving accident. They were adults engaging in potentially dangerous behaviour and it turned out badly. My sympathies go out to their families however.
As for Eddie, the Legal Eagle, you have an impressive absence of facts in your knowledge of the law and court systems. Could I suggest http://www.courts.ie for research purposes…
Simon power from Wexford your a lamb and your courts are your Shepard .acts and legislation are not law they need your consent to enforce them on you DO YOU UNDERSTAND and thats how the cops trick people in to it by saying do you understand.to break the law you must have a victim not paying your tv license there is no victim therefor no crime..I’m not going to click on the link you put up as it dose not apply to me the 10 commandments is my law ,common sense and common law always pervaile . I rest my case
Simon hand gliding, scuba diving are not illegal as appose to drug taken I think you have taken your fair share of drugs
You talk utter garbage Eddie
Don’t feed the troll!!!!
The constitution is the law and no were in it dose it say you must have a tv license make sure you ask the judge is his court a common law court and not a commercial court..ask the judge is he on his oath cos his oath is to up hold common law and the constitution..go on utube and type in ..common law and tv license..it will show and explain it better it worth a look
Having no tv license is not a crime.you are not breaking the law,
Steve you eat garbage and you look like a transvestite
have your say