'North Dublin hospitals losing capacity'

[Posted: Fri 25/09/2009 - www.irishhealth.com]

The major hospitals on Dublin's northside are losing massive amounts of bed capacity as a result of so-called bed-blockers, according to Fine Gael's Dr James Reilly.

The party's health spokesman said the HSE could solve the problem by contracting available nursing home bed in the area.

Dr Reilly said Beaumont and the Mater Hospitals have lost almost 40,000 bed days to delayed discharges in the first six months of this year.

Delayed discharges are usually elderly patients who have finished their acute hospital treatment but have nowhere else to go.

Dr Reilly said because their beds are taken up with these patients, the hospitals are losing serious amounts of capacity so that patients end up waiting in A&E on trolleys or having their operations cancelled because there is no space for admissions.