Press release
Minister for Health highlights nationwide improvement in Emergency Department overcrowding
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
The number of patients on trolleys in the first five months of the year was down 14% compared to the same period last year, meaning 7,800 fewer patients were waiting on trolleys for a hospital bed. The fall happened even though 62,000 more patients presented to Emergency Departments (EDs) compared to last year.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly today updated Cabinet with information showing significant reductions in trolley numbers, as measured daily by the Health Service Executive (HSE), in most hospitals.
Among the hospitals showing the biggest reduction in patients on trolleys were:
Far fewer older patients experienced long waits in EDs, with the number of patients aged 75 years and over, waiting long periods in EDs down by 20% (1,947 patients).
Minister Donnelly said:
"I want to pay tribute to staff in emergency departments, and throughout hospitals and community services who have contributed to this improved performance, despite a large increase in the number of patients presenting to emergency departments.
"Trolley numbers also fell last year. Our goal is to ensure all patients can access beds when they need them. This has already happened in some hospitals, including University Hospital Waterford and the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. There have been no patients on trolleys in Waterford for years and Tullamore has had no patients on trolleys to date this year. We are making real progress, although we have more to do."
There has been a significant increase in capacity under this government - with an additional 28,500 people working in our health service since the end of 2019 and 1,182 acute hospital beds as well as hundreds of additional community beds since the end of 2019.
Minister Donnelly added:
"We have delivered an unprecedented increase in funding of our health service over the last four years, and there is now more staff and more hospital beds than ever before. These additional staff and beds are having an impact, as are the increased number of senior decision makers working evenings and weekends. Weekend discharges increased by 23% this year.
"We are also seeing better operational grip across the HSE and better management at individual hospitals which can be seen in the improved performance at these hospitals. This has led to better patient flow. The number of delayed transfers of care has fallen considerably, although we need to see even more progress.
"This is a great tribute to the hard work and dedication of hospital and community staff who have worked together to ensure patients get timely treatment and assessment and, as a result, receive the most appropriate care to meet their needs."
The Minister for Health has worked intensively with the HSE on reducing the number of patients on trolleys. He chairs monthly meetings with senior HSE figures to drive improved performance. Last year, Minister Donnelly asked the HSE to move away from seasonal winter planning and to recognise ED overcrowding as the year-round problem it had become. This resulted in the publication and execution of an UEC Operational Plan with targeted actions and reform initiatives. The Minister acknowledges that high levels of congestion remain at several sites, therefore, continued support is crucial, and the consistent implementation of the reforms contained in the UEC Operational Plan are pivotal in driving this improvement.
Minister Donnelly also asked the HSE to publish clear and accessible data on EDs. The HSE now publishes a daily report listing trolley numbers at each hospital and provides a breakdown of patients waiting on trolleys in the ED and those waiting on trolleys in wards. As part of this report, the HSE also identifies the number of surge beds in use. These are beds that are taken from elsewhere in the hospital to meet ED demand. Read the HSE report.