Patient spent 10 months longer in Cork hospital than required due to bed shortages

TD said he was aware of three hospital cases where patients’ treatment was complete but they were too ill to go straight home and had to wait for an interim bed

The HSE and Department of Health said they accepted an ESRI analysis published on Wednesday showing a shortfall also of up to 1,000 hospital beds nationally.

A patient spent 10 months longer in a Cork hospital than required due to shortages of beds in community services, the Oireachtas Health Committee heard on Wednesday.

The HSE and Department of Health told the committee they accept an ESRI analysis published on Wednesday showing a shortfall also of up to 1,000 hospital beds nationally. Senior officials said existing hospitals simply do not have room or staff to make this up, without building new hospitals.