Nursing homes can be represented on emergency taskforce for hospital overcrowding – Burke

Fine Gael Cork North Central Senator and the Party’s Seanad Spokesperson on Health, Colm Burke, has today (Wednesday) welcomed confirmation from Junior Minister at the Department of Health, Kathleen Lynch TD, that private nursing homes can to be represented on the emergency taskforce for hospital overcrowding. Senator Burke was speaking after he tabled a debate on the matter in the Seanad.

“Minister Lynch’s confirmation to me that nursing homes can be represented on the emergency taskforce for hospital overcrowding, is very welcome. Nursing homes have a crucial role to play in reducing delayed discharges and alleviating pressure in Emergency Departments (EDs). Actions being taken include the provision of additional home care packages, additional transition beds in nursing homes, 300 additional Fair Deal places and an extension of community intervention teams.

“As well as looking at delayed discharges, it is also important to consider the numbers of people transferring from nursing homes to EDs. Perhaps in some cases they would get equally good care if they were to stay in their nursing home and be attended to by their doctor. This is the kind of thing that could be discussed by the emergency taskforce. If nursing homes were represented on the task force they could play a key part in working to reduce the number of people who are transferred from nursing homes to accident and emergency units.

“I also welcome the indication from the Minister that a representative of General Practitioners is to be appointed to the emergency taskforce, in view of the fact that they can play a major part in helping to reduce the number of people attending the emergency services.

“It is important that all of the stakeholders in the health care sector work together to help to provide the highest standard of care for patients in the most efficient manner”.