Hospital attendances ‘up 15.4pc’ health forum hears
Attendances at the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar have risen by 15.4 per cent, Westmeath Green Party councillor Hazel Smyth was informed at the monthly meeting of the Regional Health Forum, held online on Thursday last.
The HSE did not specify over what period the increase applied, but the figure was given in response to her request that action be taken to bring an end to "overcrowding issues" at the hospital in advance of the full winter season.
Confirming the accuracy of Cllr Smyth’s claim that presentations by the public were up to a "marked" extent – as has been the case in other hospitals across the country – the HSE said the increase had occurred "over the last number of months".
This, the response stated, was in the context of increasing Covid presentations and full return to all normal business inclusive of all scheduled care activity.
"Also this is in the context of maintaining Infection Control Standards leading to the provision of separate Covid and non-Covid services," the reply said.
Continuing, the HSE stated that the hospital and the Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) work closely with their colleagues in CHO8 and have an established integrated Winter Action Team in place.
In addition, there is a similar forum at senior level and the CHO8 and IEHG are to assist and escalate issues which cannot be resolved locally.
"The HSE Winter Plan sets out clearly measures, initiatives and funding allocated to support services through the winter period," the reply stated, adding that measures for egress from RHM for community services such as home care packages are in place to ensure that patients can return home with additional supports in a timely manner.
"The Frailty team established in RHM also provides a rapid assessment process for frailty at the ED, working with community colleagues on admission avoidance, shorter length off stays and follow-on care. This has been a very successful Slaintecare care initiative.
"RHM has also internal escalation systems in place.
"There is ongoing communication between the hospital, IEHG and Acute Hospital Division to manage surges in attendances. The hospital, with the hospital group, has continuous recruitment campaigns in place to ensure that staffing levels are kept to optimal at a time where shortages of trained professionals in healthcare is a real challenge nationally."
The reply went on to state that locally RHM is working hard to ensure that all patient flow processes are optimised. This includes: AMAU extended hours; Front door streaming; Rapid Assessment and Triage in ED; Direct GP access to AMAU; Extended CPE and Flu testing service; Home support packages and Transitional Care Funding; Additional staffing to manage increased demand to ED and Paediatric services; Mullingar Frailty Intervention Team (MFIT).