Medics slam claims of improved A&Es

The country’s beleaguered health system has come under fresh criticism after the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine slammed the “anaemic” response to emergency department overcrowding which it claimed will mean more patients dying.

The Department of Health admitted that there had been “significant” delivery challenges in attempts to lower ED overcrowding, while separate figures show that almost 30,000 adults and children were waiting more than 18 months for inpatient/day treatment at the end of March.

In its annual report published yesterday, the Department of Health said it had provided additional funding of €117m to the HSE last year to relieve ED overcrowding, with €74m going to increase the number of long-term nursing home care places.