HSE outlines reasons for delayed discharges from hospitals
Sixteen adults at Galway University Hospital are currently occupying beds for more than 100 days.
The HSE has stated that there are eight main reasons for delayed discharge of patients from hospitals, which in turn leaves a shortage of beds for new patients waiting to be admitted to wards.
At the Health Forum West meeting on Tuesday last, outgoing Saolta Chief Operations Office Ann Cosgrove said: “We really regret and are sorry that people have to wait extended periods to get a bed, but there is significant pressure in hospitals and we expect it also to continue over the next few months.
“Between hospital and community services we are doing absolutely everything to minimise and particularly focus on the over-75s and elderly to try and get through the list as quickly as we can but unfortunately, because of numbers, people often have to wait.
“We must ensure patients are discharged efficiently but it does get difficult at times. Bed capacity is difficult, we have lost a number of beds, particularly in the community in recent times and we need to maximise private hospital beds also during the winter months to manage demand on services. We do need more long and short-stay beds and are working with national funders in relation to some rehab beds to be made available. Because of HIQA requirements, some facilities are not available.”
Ms Cosgrove, who has been appointed Integrated Health Area Manager for Galway and Roscommon under new HSE structures, outlined eight different reasons for delayed discharges, namely the need for home supports, residential care needs, rehabilitation needs, complex needs, housing/homelessness, legal complexity/ward of court, non-compliance and Covid-19.
Regarding queries over vacant HSE properties and why they might not be in use, Regional Executive Officer Tony Canavan commented that a process had to be followed on each, as it must first be worked through whether the building was needed by the HSE, and then, whether section 38 and 39 disability services needed it. If no use was still identified, information would then be exchanged with the government and it would then have to go through the Office of Public Works if a building was to be sold. He added that he did not believe local authorities would be part of this consultation process but that the Department of Environment would.
Ms Cosgrove provided figures in relation to Galway University Hospital which showed that a total of 16 adults were currently occupying hospital beds for more than 100 days, with eight of these being in GUH and eight in Merlin Park Hospital.
