Delayed discharge of patients is leaving 164 beds out of use in Northside Hospitals, according to information released by the HSE’s HealthStat. This is equivalent to a small hospital being closed.
Over 6,000 more in-patients would be treated if these beds were released. This would wipe out the entire waiting lists of all three Northside hospitals.
Waiting beyond acceptable standards is endemic at these hospitals:
• Waiting for admission at A & E
• Waiting to see a consultant
• Waiting for an operation

 At A & E in Beaumont only 10% of patients were admitted on time and 16% on time in the Mater. By contrast one in three were seen on time in St. James’s. Even last week, when the system would not have been under the greatest strain, 80 patients had to wait over 12 hours, and 10 had to wait over 24 hours.

 To see a consultant the average wait at Beaumont was 200 days (average including all specialities), four times longer than St. Vincent’s and over twice the target set by the HSE.

 For an operation at the 3 Northside Hospitals 21,400 patients, or over 20% of the total, had to wait excessive times. The number waiting for medical and surgical procedures on the Northside actually increased by 9% (up to 4358) in the past year. Whereas on the Southside the number waiting fell by 25%.

Fine Gael’s reform agenda, by tying money to patient care would encourage the efficient movement of patients to cheaper convalescent care. It would force hospitals to deliver the targets for waiting times or lose the business.