A further 72 beds required in Tallaght Hospital to deal with ageing population
A further 72 beds in Tallaght Hospital will be needed to cope with the pressures of a local ageing population, the hospital said.
There was a nine per cent increase in people admitted to the emergency department aged 65 and over last year, with 5,727 over 65s admitted in 2016, up from 5,143 in 2015.
In its annual report, Tallaght Hospital said: “There is clear evidence that the length of stay and the complexity of care increases for patients 65 years or older.
“The hospital conducted a bed capacity review in light of these demographics changes and identified at a minimum the need for a 72-bedded single occupancy room extension.”
The hospital said the increase of people aged over 65 (a total of 7,872) in South Dublin shown in the latest census was ‘the most notable change in age profile that will impact the hospital’.
