No word from HSE on future of 72-bed facility for TUH

THERE continues to be no word from the HSE on the possible future of a new 72-bed facility on the campus of Tallaght University Hospital.

The Echo contacted the HSE on Monday of this week for an update on an analysis review submitted by the local hospital for a 72-bed, single room, adult in-patient building on an available site on campus.

However, at the time of going to print on Wednesday, there was no clarification from the HSE as to where the analysis review is in the system – or any timeframe as to when it may be considered.

Last week, Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) once again encouraged members of the public with ‘non-urgent conditions’ to seek assistance from their GP or pharmacy before attending the emergency department (ED).

In a message to the community, TUH said that it’s ED is extremely busy, with lengthy wait times for people with non-urgent conditions.

However, the hospital said that any patients in need of emergency hospital care will be seen, urging such patients ‘not to delay and to seek care’.

When contacted by The Echo, a spokesperson for TUH said that six months into the year and the emergency department at TUH continues to be “exceptionally busy”.

The number of people presenting at ED is up five per cent on the same time last year, with patients over the age of 75 attending ED up 14 per cent for the same period.

When asked what plans are in place to help address issues, the spokesperson said: “With high attendances and high rates of admissions this puts pressure on the ED and also the hospital as there is a shortage of beds.

“Discharge from the hospital continues to be a challenge with a high number of patients waiting for home care packages or a place in a nursing home.”

The spokesperson added: “The hospital works continuously to free beds for admitted patients, but there is a clear underlying requirement to develop additional onsite bed capacity.

“Following completion of an external strategic analysis review which was submitted to the HSE and we are waiting for sign-off on this to move to the next stage in the process to develop a new 72 single bed facility at the hospital to address these additional capacity requirements.

“We are also developing an offsite GP pathway to reduce the waiting time for patients who do not need to be in an ED for their medical care.”