Harney vows cash boost for A&E crisis
"You never achieve anything major without taking big steps, by that I mean radical reform, coupled by more resources," she declared on a day when 140 people were on trolleys in busy A&E departments throughout the country.
When next year's estimates are published later this month there will be a substantial increase in funding for health-care, she said.
Every year 1.2 million people in Ireland over 25% of the population turn up in hospitals' accident and emergency departments for treatment.
While many were repeat visits, it was still a huge number of people, she said.
"We have got to look at why so many people feel it is necessary to go to A&E.
"In the Dublin area only 22% require to be admitted to a hospital bed after examination," she said.
Among the proposals she intended bringing forward were out-of-hours GP services, step-down facilities for patients who require less acute care and medical assessment units.
The situation was unacceptable, she said.
"We have a First World health service in terms of the quality of the people who work in it. However, they work within a model that is anything but first rate," she said.
She wants highly-trained nurses to run minor injury clinics around the country to ease the A&E burden.
Such a model had already been introduced in St James's Hospital in Dublin. A team of advanced nurse practitioners had greatly improved the experience of patients there.
"Whether it is minor injuries, chronic respiratory problems or chest pains, many of the services required can be delivered by nurse-led clinical teams."
She also wanted a health service that qualified nurses wanted to work in.
In 1998, 800 Irish-trained nurses left the country. Last year, 3,000 left.
INO general secretary Liam Doran said the A&E crisis was worse than it was two-and-a-half years ago when nurses stopped work to highlight the problem.
The newly formed Patients Together group meets Ms Harney this morning.
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