Doctors call for 3,000 more acute beds

DOCTORS have called for an immediate increase in acute hospital beds and an end to tax breaks for private facilities with the money spent instead on the public health system.

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) wants the number of acute beds increased by around 3,000 to 15,000 and an immediate increase in nursing home subvention and more home care packages.

In its pre-Budget submission, the organisation points out that a third of the acute hospital beds have been removed since 1980 while health professionals had managed to increase efficiency and productivity.