HSE warns of 'very difficult' few weeks as patient numbers spike

HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry said the healthcare system is 'under very high pressure, from end to end'. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

Patient numbers are rising and most hospitals are now on high alert, with the next few weeks set to be "very difficult", the HSE's chief clinical officer Colm Henry has warned.

Christmas week usually sees a temporary reduction in pressure with more beds available in hospitals but that is not happening, he told the Irish Examiner.

“We are worried,” he said. “Most hospitals are now at high alert, with general practice under huge pressure too. The healthcare system is under very high pressure, from end to end.” 

Hospitals usually have extra capacity this week as non-urgent operations tend not to be scheduled for Christmas and patients well enough to go home are discharged.

“We’re not seeing that yet. We are still seeing heavy, heavy congestion in hospitals with very few beds,” he said.

“We usually see up to Christmas Eve an escalating number of discharges, with empty beds as people go home for Christmas. We are not seeing that. This is unusual.” 

He pointed to Covid-19 and the flu as serious concerns. Covid variant BQ.1 is spreading more easily than previous variants. However, he said: “We don’t think it is any more virulent but it certainly transmits quite easily.” 

“At the same time, there is a sharp rise in cases of flu in the past weeks, cases up 75% and hospitalisation up 30% and higher in the most recent week. It has gone up significantly.” 

Heavily impacted

Children have been heavily impacted by RSV although last week new cases dropped to 502.

“RSV seems to have peaked; it is falling,” he said. “But these figures are now playing out through presentations in our emergency departments. We are seeing very, very high numbers on trolleys.” 

Dr Henry advised simple precautions to ensure a healthy Christmas.

“The great majority of seasonal illness, fortunately, is mild, and we are advising people to stay at home if they are sick. That is the single-most important thing,” he said. “And for children to stay at home if they are sick; stay at home until you are at least 48 hours better.” 

He called on older people and healthcare workers in particular to get Covid vaccines. “The uptake of the third booster is the highest in Europe, but in absolute terms it is disappointing. We’d like to see it higher,” he said.

“For earlier boosters, we have a relatively low uptake of Covid-19 boosters for healthcare workers, and that is a particular concern to us.” 

Latest HSE figures for Covid-related absences shows 12.3% out, less than half of this time last year but still very high. This is contributing to "significant staff challenges", a spokeswoman said. 

The national agreement between the HSE and private hospitals has ended, but some hospitals have arrangements with nearby private sites. 

Other measures being applied include funding for the Irish Hospice Foundation and Irish Cancer Society for additional night nursing services, and hospital funding for reserving beds in private nursing homes.