Menu
30/11/2015
Health Minister Signs ED Congestion Escalation Directive
The Health Minister Leo Varadkar has signed an ED Congestion Escalation Directive to make sure progress made on tackling overcrowding in ER departments is "sustained and deepened".
The Protocol was also signed by The Director General of the HSE Tony O'Brien and the Director of Acute Hospital Services Liam Woods.
The deal for acute hospitals requires them to implement their Escalation plan whenever their Emergency Department experiences overcrowding.
Hospitals which do not comply to this will be subject to penalties with the resources re-allocated.
The deal follows an improvement in trolley numbers in recent weeks compared to the same period last year.
The Directive is designed to ensure that as much further progress is made in the weeks and months ahead in terms of managing ED overcrowding.
Minister Varadkar said: "The most recent numbers from the INMO and SDU indicate that the number of people on trollies is lower for November 2015 than November 2014. This represents a marked improvement from the summer when the situation was between 20% and 40% worse than summer 2014.
"On any given weekday, the number of patients on trollies peaks around 300, falling to 150 by the evening. While still not good enough, this is a far cry from the 500-600 we witnessed in January.
"The situation has eased due to the measures taken to date including increased staffing, more beds in hospitals, nursing homes and community facilities, more home helps and home care packages to facilitate discharge, and more community intervention teams, day hospital capacity and acute medical assessment units, to allow people to avoid having to go to the Emergency Department at all. Attendances are down about 1% this year.
"Nonetheless, there are still far too many people waiting too long in our Emergency Departments, so further measures now need to be taken to escalate this response to ensure that the progress is sustained."
(LM/CD)
The Protocol was also signed by The Director General of the HSE Tony O'Brien and the Director of Acute Hospital Services Liam Woods.
The deal for acute hospitals requires them to implement their Escalation plan whenever their Emergency Department experiences overcrowding.
Hospitals which do not comply to this will be subject to penalties with the resources re-allocated.
The deal follows an improvement in trolley numbers in recent weeks compared to the same period last year.
The Directive is designed to ensure that as much further progress is made in the weeks and months ahead in terms of managing ED overcrowding.
Minister Varadkar said: "The most recent numbers from the INMO and SDU indicate that the number of people on trollies is lower for November 2015 than November 2014. This represents a marked improvement from the summer when the situation was between 20% and 40% worse than summer 2014.
"On any given weekday, the number of patients on trollies peaks around 300, falling to 150 by the evening. While still not good enough, this is a far cry from the 500-600 we witnessed in January.
"The situation has eased due to the measures taken to date including increased staffing, more beds in hospitals, nursing homes and community facilities, more home helps and home care packages to facilitate discharge, and more community intervention teams, day hospital capacity and acute medical assessment units, to allow people to avoid having to go to the Emergency Department at all. Attendances are down about 1% this year.
"Nonetheless, there are still far too many people waiting too long in our Emergency Departments, so further measures now need to be taken to escalate this response to ensure that the progress is sustained."
(LM/CD)
Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
12 August 2011
Tallaght Patient Died On Hospital Trolley
A man died while on a hospital trolley awaiting a doctor. Today, a verdict of death due to natural causes has been recorded after an inquest into the death of a patient at Tallaght Hospital Emergency Department.
Tallaght Patient Died On Hospital Trolley
A man died while on a hospital trolley awaiting a doctor. Today, a verdict of death due to natural causes has been recorded after an inquest into the death of a patient at Tallaght Hospital Emergency Department.
17 January 2014
Four Injured In Apartment Fire
Four people, including a child, are receiving hospital treatment after being injured in a fire in Balbriggan, Co Dublin. Emergency services were call at around 01:00 on Friday to an apartment at Landy's Court, Millstreet. It is understood that two adults and a child were in the apartment.
Four Injured In Apartment Fire
Four people, including a child, are receiving hospital treatment after being injured in a fire in Balbriggan, Co Dublin. Emergency services were call at around 01:00 on Friday to an apartment at Landy's Court, Millstreet. It is understood that two adults and a child were in the apartment.
22 February 2012
IAEM Warns Of Overcrowding In Children's Emergency Departments
The Irish Association for Emergency Medicine has voiced grave concern at dangerous levels of Overcrowding in children's Emergency Departments. The serious clinical risks associated with overcrowding in hospital Emergency Departments are well proven.
IAEM Warns Of Overcrowding In Children's Emergency Departments
The Irish Association for Emergency Medicine has voiced grave concern at dangerous levels of Overcrowding in children's Emergency Departments. The serious clinical risks associated with overcrowding in hospital Emergency Departments are well proven.
29 April 2015
Major Fire Ongoing In Ballymount
Dublin Fire Brigade is tackling a a major incident at a storage facility in Ballymount. Emergency services were called to reports of a fire at the Store It facility at about 10:15 this morning – seven fire engines and specialist emergency equipment is currently on the scene.
Major Fire Ongoing In Ballymount
Dublin Fire Brigade is tackling a a major incident at a storage facility in Ballymount. Emergency services were called to reports of a fire at the Store It facility at about 10:15 this morning – seven fire engines and specialist emergency equipment is currently on the scene.
05 September 2016
Shortage Of Acute Hospital Beds Is Causing Chaos - IMO
The shortage of acute hospital beds in causing "chaos" in Emergency Departments across Ireland, according to the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO). Dr.
Shortage Of Acute Hospital Beds Is Causing Chaos - IMO
The shortage of acute hospital beds in causing "chaos" in Emergency Departments across Ireland, according to the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO). Dr.
-
Ireland WeatherToday:Gale, coastal severe gale, northwest winds ease from late afternoon. Scattered showers will fall as snow over the hills at first, becoming isolated from mid-afternoon. Maximum temperature 7 °C.Tonight:Showers, scattered in the evening, will clear by midnight leaving the night dry with clear spells. Cloud will spread east towards morning. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
