Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Simon Harris and Alan Kelly pictured last year Sam Boal/RollingNews,ie

Alan Kelly wants state access to private hospitals to avoid 'hell in our emergency departments'

Simon Harris is considering the move, but said it wouldn’t be straightforward.

SIMON HARRIS HAS said he will consider introducing measures to allow private hospital facilities to be used by the state this winter in the event of a flu epidemic.

Speaking in the Dáil yesterday evening, the Health Minister said: “My commitment is to beef up the public health service, but we also must acknowledge where there is capacity in other parts.”

Harris was responding to a suggestion by Labour’s health spokesperson Alan Kelly, who said: ”If we have a bad flu epidemic this winter, we will face hell in our emergency departments. ”

Harris said: “I have no role in regulating the activities of private hospitals at present, although there are a number of issues in relation to the suggestion that I would like to tease out with [Kelly].

“Emergency departments in public hospitals provide comprehensive 24-7 emergency care to all patients regardless of health insurance status. Currently, no emergency department in a private hospital offers a 24 hour service and only a minority provide services at weekends.

“My department is engaging with private hospitals on their potential to contribute to meeting the demand for acute services, right across a range of services. There is already significant experience in using the services of such hospitals to assist in addressing lengthy waiting times for scheduled care.

“An example of such collaboration is that this year €20 million is being allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), rising to €55 million in 2018. I envisage the NTPF utilising both the public and the private hospitals to reduce waiting lists.”

Harris noted that the HSE has reported an increase of approximately 5% in emergency department (ED) attendances so far this year.

“Despite increased demand, there has been a decrease of almost 5% in numbers of patients waiting on trolleys.

That is no comfort to someone waiting on a trolley but we have seen increased demand yet fewer patients on trolleys. In addition, patient experience times have been improving, with 82% of all patients completing their ED episode of care within nine hours.

In reply, Kelly said the minister’s answer started off “fairly well but he went downhill after that”, adding: “There was no meat in the detail.”

Waiting on a trolley 

Kelly said it is “wrong that a 90-year-old woman who goes into an emergency department, such as the Mater, could be on a trolley for two to three days and 100 yards down the road an executive can go into another emergency department and be treated immediately”.

He said the vast majority of the time patients at private hospitals such as the Beacon and Blackrock Clinic “will be seen almost immediately by a consultant”.

This is not acceptable. We will have an epidemic this winter if a crisis develops because of an influenza epidemic. We need quick answers, quick decisions and quick engagement with private hospitals to use their capacity immediately. I am aware they do not provide all the services, as the minister rightly outlined, but they do provide services and they have capacity.

Harris described Kelly’s response as “the closest I will ever get to a compliment from Deputy Kelly”.

“There is merit in scoping this issue out. I believe discussions would be needed on the type of procedures, how it would work, how we would make sure we do not divert resources from public hospitals, and how we make sure that we get on with solving the pressures in our accident and emergency departments,” Harris said.

Read: Labour bill aims to clamp down on rogue crisis pregnancy agencies operating in Ireland

Read: 2015 was a ‘tax leap year’ – meaning you could be due more tax back than usual

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
67 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ross UAE
    Favourite Ross UAE
    Report
    Dec 1st 2014, 8:30 AM

    Poor countries such as Liberia cannot afford the standard of health care provided to and paid for by rich western countries including Ireland, and so long as they are led by corrupt politicians they never will. Any aid given is mostly stolen or wasted and what remains just keeps people alive to face the next crisis which is never too far away. Without complete reform these African countries will remain at the bottom of every human development index, and that reform must come from within as many billions in foreign aid over the past 150 years has changed little except facilitate the replacement of the spear with the AK47. And yes, I have been there.

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Plantation Watch
    Favourite Plantation Watch
    Report
    Dec 1st 2014, 8:20 AM

    What is actually being suggested in this article?

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anne Gyna
    Favourite Anne Gyna
    Report
    Dec 1st 2014, 1:17 PM

    Our own Irish healthcare is hardly 1st World, gold-medal standard either, is it? With all due respect, let’s get our own very ill people off trollies & hard plastic chairs in Ireland’s A&E’s first, before we fret about over-populated countries & their problems.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Mac Diarmada
    Favourite Sean Mac Diarmada
    Report
    Dec 1st 2014, 10:16 PM

    “Healthcare medical apartheid is as unacceptable in 2014 as apartheid was ‘back in the day’ in South Africa. There can be no ‘them and us’.”
    Welcome to Ireland 2014.!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Phil West
    Favourite Phil West
    Report
    Dec 1st 2014, 10:54 AM

    Healthcare apartheid – welcome to Ireland

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tim Stephen Hendy
    Favourite Tim Stephen Hendy
    Report
    Dec 2nd 2014, 2:55 PM

    I’m not seeing where “apartheid” comes into it, except as an odd attempt to draw attention to something by using the word.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds