3532. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to urgently address the chronic waiting times especially for senior citizens at the accident and emergency department at University Hospital Kerry who have been left waiting on chairs and trolleys for 12 hours and longer in the hospital; if she will address the chronic shortage of nurses and doctors in the hospital, where existing staff overworked (details supplied)and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60714/26]

I wish to reassure the Deputy that arrangements are in place to support the effective operation of hospitals throughout the winter period, including University Hospital Kerry (UHK). A key objective of the Unscheduled Emergency Care Plan is to maintain and improve performance against the target that 99% of all Emergency Department (ED) attendees aged 75 years and over are discharged or admitted within 24 hours of registration. Particular emphasis is being placed on 24-hour patient experience time for this cohort, given the patient safety risks associated with prolonged waits. The HSE is seeking to meet this target through the use of appropriate services and protocols to support patient flow and ensure that those with the greatest clinical need are treated in a timely manner.

Measures include cohorting patients in specialty or dedicated wards, including the placement of older adults in specialist geriatric wards where appropriate. Roster changes have also been introduced to provide additional and extended hours for senior decision-makers and key staff involved in patient flow. These measures are intended to improve the patient journey through the hospital system and make best use of available capacity.

All EDs have plans in place to screen patients aged 75 years and over for delirium and frailty at triage, or within 15 minutes of registration, and to provide early access to specialist emergency and gerontology care. In UHK, a designated staff member is rostered on each shift to keep these patients informed and provide assistance as required. UHK also has a Geriatric Emergency Multidisciplinary Service unit, which operates Monday to Friday and is based in the ED, supporting patients aged 75 years and over.

As this refers to operational matters in University Hospital Kerry, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.