General Manager S Office Officerford/Wexford
General Manager’s Office
University Hospital Waterford,
Kilcreene Regional Orthopaedic Hospital, Kilkenny
South/South West Hospitals Group
Health Service Executive, Lacken, Dublin Road, Kilkenny
Tel + 353(0)56 7784150
Date: 8th June 2016
Mr. David Cullinane TD.,
Dáil Eireann,
Leinster House,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
DearDeputy Cullinane,
PQ 4892/16 *To ask the Minister for Health if he will increase bed capacity at University Hospital Waterford; if he is aware that the number of patients on trolleys at the hospital during the first six weeks of 2016, at 706, is up significantly on the number, 282, during the first six weeks in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [David Cullinane]
The Health Service Executive has been requested to reply directly to you in the context of the above Parliamentary Question, which you submitted to the Minister for Health for response. I have examined the matter and the following outlines the position.
For the first 6 weeks of 2016 (ie up to the Friday of the week ending 12/02/2016) the cumulative trolley count for University Hospital Waterford was:
- 2016519
- 2015161
However up to the end of the week ending 04/03/2016 (ie week 9) the cumulative count for University Hospital Waterford was:
- 2016710
- 2015281
The original PQ references "the first six weeks of 2016" but the numbers of trolleys quoted appears to reflect the first nine weeks. It is true however that ED attendances have been increasing year on year and in University Hospital Waterford the monthly average of ED attendances has increased by 21% over the 4 years 2011 to 2015 with a total of almost 51000 patients attending in 2015. Within this overall figure, and in line with demographic trends, there has also been a noticeable increase in the attendance of patients 65 yrs + which showed a 8% increase in Jan to March 2016 compared to January to March 2015.
Managing the increasing unscheduled care demand to the best of our ability remains an overarching priority for University Hospital Waterford. The Patient Flow Group, which meets fortnightly (weekly over the Winter months) has undertaken a number of initiatives and developed contingencies to maximise in house capacity over the peak demand months. For example funding has been successfully achieved in 2016 to commence a Community Intervention Team (which started in February) that will allow up to 20 daily interventions take place in the community which are all aimed at either admission avoidance or facilitating early discharge home from the acute setting of suitable patients. A key initiative for the coming Winter will be the identification of additional capacity inhouse (approximately 8 to 10 beds) that can be opened for brief periods to accommodate patients in times of exceptional high demand.
I trust this information is satisfactory but should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact this office.
Yours sincerely,
______
Richard Dooley
General Manager