Situation 'improving' but health system remains under severe pressure, Donnelly to tell Cabinet 

Mr Donnelly is likely to tell his ministerial colleagues that the situation is “improving” as a result of better management of patients

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will say the hospitals crisis is 'improving' as a result of better management of patients. Picture: Collins 

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will tell his Cabinet colleagues on Wednesday that the health system remains under severe pressure despite a drop in the number of people on trolleys.

Mr Donnelly is likely to tell his ministerial colleagues the situation is “improving” as a result of better management of patients.

He is also likely to discuss with ministers the impact of 858 lost bed days in the first nine days of this year on Emergency Departments across the country.

As part of a detailed update on the current crises engulfing the health service, Mr Donnelly is set to state that 227 cases of monkey pox were recorded up until the end of December.

He will say it remains the case that mass vaccination is currently not required nor recommended.

Mr Donnelly will say there were no additional cases in weeks 50 and 51.

As of January 1, just under 5,000 vaccine doses have been administered, ministers will be told. A vaccination programme continues with appointments available up to the end of February 2023.

Bed closures

Hospitals were forced to keep 152 acute hospital beds closed on New Year’s Day due to issues such as infection control, the highest of any day so far this year.

In total, 858 bed days have been lost to the system at a time of record trolley numbers.

Figures obtained from the HSE by the Irish Examiner show that of those 152 closures on New Year's Day, 124 were due to Infection Prevention Control (IPC), 15 due to Covid-19, two to staffing issues, and 11 were due to refurbishment.

Explaining the bed closures, the HSE said working to prevent infection of any kind in a hospital or community setting can lead to beds being unavailable for a time.