Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
1012. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health her views on whether delayed discharge contributes significantly to emergency department overcrowding in the Saolta Group Hospitals; and whether she will commit to publishing a clear timeline, available to the public, for addressing discharge bottlenecks. [5793/26]
View answerDischarge planning is fundamental to the efficient operation of our hospitals and represents one of the four pillars of the Unscheduled Emergency Care (UEC) Operational Plan. With wellbeing at the centre of every decision, we recognise that recovery is optimally supported outside the acute setting, evidence shows that prolonging a hospital stay for a patient who is clinically for discharge is not in the interest of their safety and can increase the risk of hospital-acquired infections. Achieving these goals requires a sustained operational grip and a fully integrated approach that coordinates care across acute, community, and private settings to ensure the right care is delivered in the right place.
Since September the HSE at the most senior level are holding oversight meetings focusing on patient flow challenges outside of the targeted range.
The UEC 2025-2026 plan introduces strategic measures to facilitate safe and timely discharges.
• The ‘home first’ policy ensures integrated discharge planning begins at admission and is shaped by an individual's specific needs, will, and preferences.
• To streamline the ‘home first’ policy all inpatients will be assigned a predicted date of discharge for stays exceeding seven days, this date is shared with relevant community services to ensure a seamless, integrated transition of care.
The plan aims to boost the productivity and impact of essential Community Intervention Teams (CIT) and the Integrated Care Program for Older Persons (ICPOP) to support independence and promote discharge from acute hospitals.
In advance of the winter period, we have also stood up virtual wards at Mercy University Hospital, St Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny, Our Lady of Lourdes Drogheda and Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore. A Virtual Ward at Galway University Hospital is due to come on stream in January 2026.
Investment from Government has provided for over 400 new Community Beds in Model 2 and community hospitals, a move designed to facilitate patient flow away from acute settings. This expansion of bed capacity is supported by dedicated funding for home supports, for transitional care, for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, for aids and appliances and all aimed at boosting capacity in both the acute and community settings.
A central part of this commitment is the delivery of 24 million home support hours to approximately 60,000 people. These resources are essential for promoting patient independence and ensuring a safe and timely egress from acute hospitals.
As this is a service matter referring to Saolta group Hospitals, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
