Catherine Conlon: Six steps to take now to avoid a trolley crisis this winter 

With an ageing population in Ireland and a drop in those reporting good health, Catherine Conlon looks at what could help the country deal with the implications

Recruitment and retention drives for key health workers combined with significant State support for community programmes are not just about keeping older people happy — they can have long-term benefits in physical and emotional wellbeing that can make a real difference to keeping older people resilient, healthy, and out of hospital. 

Detailed results from Census 2022 identified a population rising over 5m for the first time in over 150 years. The average age of the population increased from 37.4 in 2016 to 38.8 in 2022, and there was a 5% drop in the proportion of people who reported their health as good or very good, from 87% to 83%.

These statistics have key implications for healthcare policy. The current healthy state of the public finances is an opportunity to address these policy implications by building capacity in the public sector.