Consultants warn of healthcare crisis unless 'urgent' funding invested in health system

Consultants are warning of a looming healthcare crisis unless "early" funding is invested to deal with waiting lists and capacity challenges. File Picture.

Hospital consultants have warned of a looming healthcare crisis this winter without “early” funding to deal with spiralling waiting lists and capacity challenges.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) was commenting on reports that waiting lists could rise by more than 100% and that €1bn in additional funding may be needed to deal with Covid-19.

The figures were contained in a Department of Health briefing document for the new Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.

The IHCA said “urgent” government action is needed to stave off a crisis within the healthcare system this winter, in particular given the 800,000 people already on waiting lists, 500 vacant consultant posts, and additional capacity challenges.

“This briefing further confirms that what was bad has become worse. Coupled with recent HSE confirmation that we face a winter like no other, it shows that those in charge know there is a crisis,” IHCA President, Donal O’Hanlon said.

“We cannot entertain the possibility of a more than 100% increase on acute hospital waiting lists in 2020, with over 800,000 people already waiting months, in some cases years, to see a consultant or receive treatment. 

"We have grave concerns about the reduced health outcomes for these people, and the wider long-term side effect on our nation’s health.

“We know what the problems are and we know what it takes to fix them — more consultants, more beds and measures to free-up capacity. 

"We must urgently fill the 500 vacant consultant posts without delay if we are to tackle the increasing waiting lists."

The IHCA president warned "there is no time to lose".

“We need early, fully-funded decisions with cross-government backing. If we adopt the same approach as before with no clarity on funding until December, then it is simply too late,” he said.

Former HSE chief Tony O'Brien said the picture as outlined in the briefing document appeared “like a very realistic assessment” and was “bleak” given that the health service "never" had enough capacity and was facing into a Covid-era where capacity would be reduced further.

“We should be in no doubt the impact of Covid means that the capacity of the health syste,m in terms of physical capacity, the time it takes to carry out hygiene on imaging equipment and so on, reduces the capacity of the health system from what it was this time last year. 

"And we know that this time last year that capacity wasn’t equal to the needs of our population,” Mr O’Brien said on RTÉ radio.