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Delay in publishing plan does not bode well for difficult weeks and months ahead; Shortfalls in beds and staffing already causing delays and cancellations for the 904,000 people on hospital waiting lists;  Prediction of severe flu season on top of continued Covid-19 pressures and ED overcrowding could result in ‘most challenging winter in years’; Strategic, empathetic leadership needed to deliver multi-annual plans for the health service, with devolved, local decision making and implementation at its core.   Commenting on the publication of the HSE Winter Plan 2021-22 on Monday 15 November 2021, Professor Alan Irvine, President of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) said: 

Commenting on the overview of HIQA’s monitoring of healthcare services in 2020, Prof Rob Landers, Vice President, Irish Hospital Consultants Association, said:

IHCA analysis of HSE Service Plan for 2021 points to 200,000 fewer patient appointments this year 

Concern comes as HSE CEO Paul Reid admits that reducing waiting lists will be a ‘significant issue’ this year. Urgent action now needed to prevent secondary crisis of missed care as a record 860,000 people sit on waiting lists. No target set in new National Service Plan to fill 728 vacant consultant posts and insufficient commitment to increase acute bed capacity will impact ability to tackle lists and clear backlog of cancelled / postponed care in 2021.  Plan sees 153,000 fewer outpatient appointments and a reduction of 50,000 inpatient and day cases in 2021 compared with original expected 2020 activity; as well as reduced targets for those waiting longer than a year for their first outpatient and other appointments. Prof Alan Irvine, President, IHCA: “While government has committed record funding levels for health in 2021, until this money is channelled effectively and speedily to where it will make the most difference for patients – through the recruitment of additional Consultants with supporting teams and infrastructure – our public hospitals will continue to have record waiting lists and struggle to address the backlog of treatment due to Covid.” Following the publication of the HSE’s National Service Plan 2021 (Wednesday 24 February), the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has called on health officials to prioritise reducing record waiting lists and to outline a plan to enable public hospitals to cope in the coming months and next winter, in order to avoid another extremely challenging period for staff and patients.

“A promise to invest in services but not in the professionals required to deliver them” 

According IHCA President Dr. Donal O’Hanlon:

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