Winter plan and hospital capacity
Deputy Calleary criticised the winter plan as a sham because it would add no extra beds or staff, and asked for the Minister for Health to answer questions next week. The Tánaiste said he expected the Minister to be available and outlined the plan as keeping people out of hospital and moving patients through faster; the Chair cut off further repetition.
I return to the so-called winter plan. As we have been speaking, the HSE national director of acute operations has said that no extra acute beds will be opened as part of this plan and that no extra staff will be appointed as part of the acute capacity element of the plan. That summary illustrates that it really is a sham plan that will not make a difference. Will the Minister for Health make himself available next week to answer specific questions on this plan and on the Tánaiste's comments on the report that is being asked of the Rotunda on care levels there?
Comment on this
I do not order the business for next week but I am sure that the Minister will be available to answer any of those questions. I outlined earlier what the winter plan is about, namely keeping people out of hospital and moving people through the hospital system as quickly as possible.
