New Unit Delivers Results:

A Special Delivery Unit reporting to the Minister for Health is improving waiting times. It has set new targets to be achieved in 2012:

• No more than a 9 months wait for an operation
• No more than 6 hours in A&E for 95% of people

This will demand big changes. Last year in Beaumont only 20% were seen within 6 hours and half waited over 12 hours. The Mater’s performance was twice as good but still far short of this new target.

For operations, Beaumont and the Mater are close to the target in most specialities.

Health Improvements in a Difficult Year:

• A €730,000 investment to increase bed capacity at the Mater and re-opening of 17 step-down beds at St Mary’s Hospital Phoenix Park will help the Mater achieve its target.
• Free GP care for the 56,000 people who are registered as having a long-term illness will come into effect in early March 2012.
• A special allocation of €35m for mental health was announced in Budget 2012 which will be used primarily to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams in both Adult and Children’s mental health services.