I would like to thank the deputy for his question. The HSE publishes a daily Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Report, which provides a site-by-site, "point-in-time" count of patients awaiting an inpatient bed at 8am. This report specifically highlights the number of patients waiting more than 24 hours following a decision to admit, with a dedicated category for vulnerable patients aged 75 and over.
Policy and operational decisions are informed by the daily analysis of a "large amount of data" beyond a single metric. While the 8 am trolley count is a "key metric," it is evaluated alongside other indicators to best understand the delivery of care.
Management has access to more granular data through the Demand and Capacity Visualisation Platform (HPVP). This tool provides real-time data and trends across all EDs, diagnostic services, and bed management to identify "bottlenecks" and "bed-flow blockages", allowing for immediate operational intervention. While standard public reports do not currently disaggregate wait times into specific bands beyond 24 hours, the Minister relies on the public 24-hour breach data, sophisticated internal real-time analytics, and statutory oversight by HIQA to satisfy herself that extended waits are transparently monitored and managed.
