IHCA welcomes latest capacity report from ESRI, highlighting need for in-depth regional analysis
The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has welcomed the publication of the new report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), which highlights the pressing need to expand Ireland’s acute public hospital capacity, and said its findings align with the Association’s long-standing concerns regarding the critical shortage of hospital beds.
The IHCA, which said this latest evidence-based analysis reinforces the need for sustained investment in hospital infrastructure, has urged the Government to expedite the implementation of its Acute Hospital Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan, published in May 2024, which aims to open 3,378 new beds by 2031.
The IHCA has also urged the six HSE Health Regions to publish in-depth regional projections of their acute hospital bed capacity requirements up to 2040, in order to identify where to locate up to 6,800 additional inpatient beds needed to meet future demand for care.
Consultant have also suggested that this regional analysis should identify where this additional hospital capacity can be accommodated on existing hospital campuses, and where new hospital builds may be needed.
While both the Government plan and ESRI report are positive steps in the right direction, Consultants emphasised that timely delivery is crucial, with any delays in expanding bed capacity having direct consequences on patient care, leading to longer waiting times and increased pressure on our health service.
The IHCA also welcomed today’s ICU Audit Report by the National Office of Clinical Audit, which found that despite a reported ICU bed occupancy rate of 96% being well above the recommended average of 85%, the health system is delivering high quality outcomes for patients.
The Association again called for ICU bed numbers to be increased from the current 330 to the minimum 579, as recommended a decade ago, and to over 900 critical care beds to reach the OECD average on a population basis.
The Association also reiterated its call to expedite the delivery of the promised six surgical hubs, for a positive decision to be made on a seventh surgical hub proposed for the North West in Sligo, and for the four new elective hospitals to progress at speed, in order to meet their target of receiving their first patients in 2027.
Workforce issues must also be addressed in tandem with the delivery of infrastructure, to ensure that new beds translate into improved patient care.
The IHCA supports this evidence-based approach to healthcare planning and urges policymakers to act swiftly on the ERSI report’s findings to ensure Ireland’s hospital system is equipped to meet both current and future patient demand.
ENDS
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Darragh Duncan | darragh.duncan@finnpartners.com | (085) 121 5011