Claim that empty beds cost health service €300k a day

HEALTH chiefs are “throwing away €300,000” a day by leaving almost 1,200 public hospital beds empty or unavailable across the country, it has been claimed.

A leaked report due to go before the Health Service Executive (HSE) board later this week has revealed that almost 10% of Ireland’s public hospital beds are currently closed or unavailable for new patients because of a series of delays in the system.

The performance report has noted that 513 beds are currently closed to patients as a means of saving money, refurbishment or infection control; with another 682 “unavailable due to delayed discharges” of patients who cannot be moved because of a lack of step-down facilities.