Overcrowding crisis likely to continue 'for a number of years'
Interim For A Public The Even Ceo Person Andy And Gibson Stephen Crisis To Is The One Mulvany Many Apologised Trolley On Picture: Said Too
The hospital overcrowding crisis is likely to continue “for a number of years” before reforms underway now take effect, the HSE said on Wednesday.
Senior HSE management attended a special sitting of the Oireachtas Health Committee focused on the crisis which saw 931 patients unable to get a hospital bed on January 3.
Interim CEO Stephen Mulvany apologised to the public for the crisis and said even one person on a trolley is too many.
However, he conceded: “It is going to be a number of years where during the year particuarly at winter time that we are going to have a level of additional pressure on the system. That pressure will be measured by many on trolleys and surge beds and what the INMO figures will show. That is unfortunately a reality.”
He told Senator Anne Hoey this is because the HSE is “playing catch-up” with the growing population and the growing number in particular of over-75s.
"Attendance at EDs (emergency departments) for the full year 2022 were up by 14.8% over 2021,” he said. “Admissions from ED were also up across all age cohorts in 2022 with an increase of 11.2% over 2021 levels, and importantly, the level of increase of admissions of patients over 75 years was 15% in 2022."
He said that by Christmas Eve the situation “surpassed the most pessimistic modelling”
The committee heard a number of emergency measures are still in place including use of private hospital beds, extended hours for GP practices, and 7-day working arrangements for hospitals and community services.
Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane said “warning signs” have been clear for some time, and he criticised a “failure to deliver” at political and health management levels.
“I do accept responsibility,” Mr Mulvany said.
“Alongside a review of capacity being conducted by the Department, the HSE will bring forward in 2023 a three-year unscheduled care improvement plan combining process improvement, expedited infrastructural investment and learning from sites performing well.”
Mr Cullinane also asked why the Emergency Department Taskforce has not met recently, as this includes staff unions and patient advocates as well as HSE management.
Senator Martin Conway asked why University Hospital Limerick only had access to five private beds, despite challenging levels of overcrowding.
“There are no private hospitals in Limerick,” Mr Mulvany said, adding access is based on geography and in some cases the ability to share staff between two sites.
He told Senator Maria Byrne there are currently no plans to upgrade smaller hospitals to what is known as Model 3 level, saying: “I don’t believe it is practical”.
Fine Gael spokesman on health Colm Burke queried the level of contact between the HSE and Nursing Homes Ireland, noting 760 beds were open at one point during the crisis.
On a broader level, Social Democrats co-leader Rosin Shortall said Slaintecare and the regional health areas offer solutions, and she queried why the Government is not implementing this faster.
Chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry said: “The danger has not passed” in response to queries on levels of viruses circulating.
He said Omicron and the latest flu and RSV figures indicate the pressures will continue.
The committee also heard not all sites are facing the same pressures, with factors including bed numbers, staffing, management and support services meaning some sites like Waterford University Hospital are coping differently.