*New analysis has been published this week.
NEW ANALYSIS details that 600 additional acute beds are required in the Mid-West strengthening the call for a new hospital in the region.
An additional 600 acute beds beyond the planned investment of 208 beds at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), new research has underlined.
Acute hospital bed requirements in Ireland from 2025 to 2040 have been analysed by Friends of Ennis Hospital (FEH) as they issued capacity projections for the same timeframe.
Nationally the ESRI projects 16,976 more inpatient beds are required by 2040, FEH calculate this at 16,935, both citing population growth and ageing demographics. Project 2040’s prediction that Limerick City and suburbs would see a population growth of between 50 to 60 percent by 2040 is not accounted for in FEH’s calculations.
Growing evidence is showing that insufficient bed capacity and high bed occupancy rates are linked to higher patient mortality, poor hospital outcomes and risks to the welfare of hospital staff.
In its report, FEH said, “HSE Midwest requires 600 additional acute beds above & beyond the planned investment of 208 beds in UHL. FEH does not have confidence in the HSE to deliver the planned investment in Dooradoyle given the planning objections to the second planned 96 bed block. Therefore, a new hospital campus will be required to accommodate the 600 bed requirement HSE Midwest has a day bed capacity requirement of 305 FEH recommends that most if not all of these beds should be developed on a new hospital campus along with the additional 600 acute beds which are needed in the region”.
At present the National Capital Investment Plan allows for an additional 208 acute hospital beds in UHL of which 112 are due in 2025. UHL does not have the capacity beyond this figure, FEH have argued. “With planning objections already filed against the next 96 bed blocks we would have concerns as to whether HSE Midwest can deliver the full 208 planned capacity at the campus in Dooradoyle. We are absolutely certain and we understand that the HSE agree that the campus at Dooradoyle does not have space on the current campus site for the additional 600 beds needed in the Mid-West region”.
Moving the Maternity Hospital from its current site to co-locate it at UHL will according to FEH “utilise the remaining available capacity on the site”.
Increased day bed capacity is not required in the Mid-West so long as the all planned model two beds for the region are utilised in that capacity, the FEH analysis stated. “It is therefore obvious that a new hospital on a new campus will be required for the Midwest It would be our contention that this 600 bed acute hospital should also be given most if not all of the currently planned capacity at the Model 2 hospitals giving the new hospital a day bed capacity of approximately 100 day beds. Model 2 hospitals do not have the infrastructure required to deal with patients who are acutely ill”.
Investing more in model two hospital such as Ennis Hospital is not the answer according to FEH. “It is our belief that further investment in Model 2 beds to the detriment of acute beds makes little sense. Our acute hospital(s) will continue to have the higher levels of attendances than most other Model 4 hospitals and bed capacity in the Model 2 hospitals in the region will only function for step down or convalescent whereas the need for acute beds is greater.
“Historic underinvestment in acute hospitals has led to capacity constraints as evidenced by ageing infrastructure, large waiting lists and long waiting times for elective procedures. Only by investing in Model 4 beds in the Midwest can these issues be tackled as model 2 hospitals have limited capabilities to deal with these issues,” the report added.
