At least 760 open beds in nursing homes able to accept hospital patients — survey

More than 500 people are unable to get a bed today, according to the latest overcrowding figures.

Private and voluntary nursing homes currently have at least 760 open beds which could accept hospital patients, a new survey has found.

This comes as hospitals continue to face overcrowding pressures, with more than 500 people unable to get a bed today according to the latest figures.

It is not unusual for patients to require time in a step-down bed or nursing home before going home after operations. It can happen when someone has passed the urgent medical stage of their care but is too weak to go home.

Now, a Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) survey has confirmed approximately 70% of private and voluntary nursing homes that responded to a survey have room to take patients discharged from hospitals.

Some 210 homes responded this week with 147 stating they can take hospital patients.

“Within those homes, 760 beds are available,” NHI said.

“63 nursing homes (30%) stated they are not in a position to receive discharges from hospitals. With 440 private and voluntary nursing homes operating across the country, the strong indication is 1,000+ beds are available across the sector.” 

Nursing Homes Ireland CEO Tadhg Daly.

CEO Tadhg Daly called for more cooperation to ensure hospital patients are sent to nursing homes when appropriate.

“Approximately 60% of the hundreds of people fit for discharge from our acute hospitals require the specialised, round-the-clock care provided by nursing homes, with nurses, healthcare assistants, therapeutic activities, and day-to-day living needs encompassed within the care,” he said.

“We are engaged collaboratively with the HSE to inform of capacity within private and voluntary nursing homes to support timely discharge of patients back into the community where appropriate.” 

Rehabilitative care

Nursing homes can also offer convalescence and rehabilitative care that will support people’s transition back home. Long-stay care within a nursing home might also be appropriate, he said.

“The overcrowding crisis emphasises the critical role fulfilled by nursing home care and other services within our communities which must be appropriately resourced and placed on a sustainable footing to support our health services in functioning properly,” he urged.

He warned, however, that with the closure of “over 40 nursing homes in the past four years” some regions in the country are now facing limited access to these services.

Anecdotally there can sometimes be a mismatch between a hospital’s need for nursing homes and bed capacity in a particular area, with sick patients reluctant to be moved too far from home for convalescence.