116. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the specific actions she has taken to radically reduce the record high levels of delayed transfers of care out of acute hospital settings, as seen in March and April 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28377/26]
Sentiment score: 0.11
I want to ask about delayed transfers of care. As the Minister knows, there is an enormous number across the acute hospitals at the moment. On 23 consecutive days between March and April-----
Sentiment score: 0.15
Is this question not related to delayed transfers of care?
Sentiment score: 0.59
I believed I had resubmitted a Priority Question but, clearly, there was an issue with regard to it appearing on the Questions Paper.
Sentiment score: 0.55
On 23 consecutive days between March and April, the number of delayed transfers of care exceeded 500 across our acute hospitals, and again over the last six days. This has a major impact, not only on the people who are caught in hospitals who should no longer be there, but also on admissions. We saw that 129 people were waiting over 24 hours on Sunday night for admission to our emergency departments, 16 of them over the age of 75. It also has an impact on hospital activity, particularly with regard to the staggering reliance on surge capacity at the moment. What is being done with regard to step-down facilities across the health system at this point in time? There is a strong focus on the trolley numbers but, to my mind, insufficient focus on the step-down facilities.
Sentiment score: 0.02
The Minister referred to beds and management. When I talk to a number of the hospitals that are experiencing some of the worst problems with transferring those patients, there is a huge absence of neurorehabilitation beds and dementia-specific beds. In particular, we know that in Cherry Orchard, two wards have been closed for almost the past two years, supposedly for fire remediation works. The Killarney Community Nursing Unit was ready a year and a half ago, but has yet to be opened. We know that at South Infirmary, there are beds closed that should be open. We know that at a facility that is due to open in Blarney, as I understand it, the governance is due to lie with the Mercy Hospital, which has no neuro responsibilities because they are with Cork University Hospital. The question concerns the decision-making and the management. It makes no sense to me that the sole responsibility for this lies with the hospital itself. What is the community element? In particular, what is the IHA doing to try to address these issues?
Sentiment score: -0.14
When I look at the Minister's letter of determination to the HSE this year, or arising from the budget, I see the big emphasis on home care support and very little emphasis on the construction of new step-down beds. We know that the vast majority of those being constructed at the moment are replacement beds. I think there are many reasons there is a need for step-down beds. I know my colleague, Deputy Conor Sheehan, had figures with regard to those who were exiting into homelessness. One other issue I want to introduce to the conversation regards under-65s with dementia and other acquired brain injuries in hospitals who have nowhere to go. When I asked the Minister's Department last week about care of the under-65s in nursing homes, I was told that this was not the responsibility of the Department of Health. If it is not the responsibility of the Department of Health - of course, the Minister sets the funding for the HSE - then whose is it? I do not accept that it is fully the responsibility of the Minister for disability because she does not control the HSE budget but we need to be very clear to those families out there who want an alternative to nursing homes for their children under the age of 65 who are adults.
Sentiment score: 0.25
An Saol.
Sentiment score: 0.00
It is residential there.
Sentiment score: 0.00
There is HSE money going to nursing homes. They are residential facilities.
Sentiment score: 0.00