Hospitals are facing a 'very challenging time'
Health Minister Simon Harris has warned that the country's hospitals are facing into a “very challenging time” because of a flu outbreak,
Mr Harris, speaking at his department this afternoon, was speaking after the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said 612 patients were admitted for care on trolleys in hospitals around the country this morning.
The figure marks a record high for the amount of people on trolleys at Irish hospitals, according to the INMO.
Mr Harris said winter is normally a challenging time for the hospital sector but he said the challenges being faced “are not just the challenges of a normal winter”.
Mr Harris has rejected an assertion by the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine that this situation was "entirely predictable".
““It is interesting that everybody says something is predictable after it has happened. Perhaps next time they will tell us in advance,” he said in response.
Dr Fergal Hickey, a spokesperson for the IAEM, said the situation could have been avoided and that the Government has repeatedly been told there are not enough beds available.
According to Dr Hickey, Britain and Ireland, both of which have a crisis currently, have 2.6 beds per 1,000 of the population whereas most EU countries have at least twice that.
Mr Harris said he will now begin a bed capacity review, although he said while there are calls for extra beds it is important there is extra staff.
“My department will commence a bed capacity review of the beds in our acute hospitals and across our health service and I want it done in time for the mid term review. But to have beds you have to have staff. And it is important before we open new beds that we ensure every bed within the system is adequately staffed,” he said.
He added that he will meet with the HSE on Thursday for a further update on the situation.
