Emergency department overcrowding
Deputy Kenny cited large numbers leaving emergency departments untreated and asked whether Government health policy had failed. The Taoiseach said health policy was broader than emergency departments and emphasised enhanced community care as a better alternative.
We all know that there are enormous challenges in our emergency departments currently. Recently, the Irish Examiner reported that over 27,000 people were in emergency departments and they left without being treated. That is extremely worrying and it is a terrible reflection on the Government’s health policy. Is this a reflection that the health policy of the Government has failed?
Comment on this
The health policy is much broader than just emergency departments, although access is extremely important. We need to create alternative centres for treatment. Particularly for me, the enhanced community care programme is a far more effective way to go. There has been huge progress on the enhanced community care programme in regions across the country whereby senior citizens and people in general can access a whole range of services, from respiratory centres, to cardiac care, diagnostics, rehabilitation for senior citizens and mental health programmes for young people all on the one campus with multidisciplinary teams in place. That is the future. Emergency departments in tertiary hospitals and major trauma hospitals are for people who are seriously ill or who have had serious accidents and require attendance at a tertiary hospital. We need to develop alternative centres, minor injury clinics, enhanced community care, prevention etc. to deal with many other issues.