[ad_1]
The Executive Director of the Health Service, Paul Reid, will tell a Committee of Oireachtas that the postponement of non-essential surgery due to Covid-19 has had a lasting impact on health services.
Mr. Reid will appear before the Joint Health Committee to discuss the HSE Winter Plan.
In his opening statement, he will tell politicians that the necessary decision in March to postpone non-essential surgery led to a near stoppage of scheduled healthcare activity.
Mr Reid will say that activity has resumed, but there have been lasting consequences for health services.
He will say that the HSE Winter Plan aims to ensure that hospitals are as prepared as possible for the anticipated seasonal pressures, which will be “more challenging this year than ever.”
Mr Reid will describe how the € 600 million of funding allocated in the plan will be used.
However, it will say that funding can only go so far and that success against Covid-19 will depend on the public continuing to take the necessary precautions.
It will also tell committee members that the agreement with private hospitals will augment existing approaches to Covid and non-Covid pathways in the event of an increase in hospitalizations.
Latest coronavirus stories
Reid will say that the waiting lists have stabilized but at a higher level and that steady progress is also being made in resuming elective activity where the latest data shows a position almost equivalent to the corresponding period in 2019.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, committee chair Seán Crowe said: “The winter plan was announced, with significant additional funding, to provide essential healthcare for patients for the next several weeks and months in a Covid-19 environment. .
“The committee welcomes this opportunity to review this plan, which promises additional beds in acute care hospitals, more home support packages, private bed capacity purchased and additional intermediate care beds.”
Crowe said winter is the season when there have been unacceptable levels of overcrowding in hospital emergency departments.
“This has always been unacceptable, but with the presence of Covid-19 it is imperative that patients in carts in crowded emergency departments or in hallways are not a feature of winter 2020,” he said.
[ad_2]