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Overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick

Monday September 23, 2019

23rd September 2019: Nursing Homes Ireland today stated private and voluntary nursing homes have the capacity to deliver essential step-down care for patients requiring discharge from University Hospital Limerick. The most recent Nursing Homes Ireland bed availability survey informs there are circa 60 available beds in 24 private and voluntary nursing homes across Co Limerick. Nursing homes in surrounding counties also have capacity to provide specialist care, where required.

Tadhg Daly, NHI CEO states: “Nursing homes have a critical role to fulfil in alleviating the overcrowding within University Hospital Limerick. The recent decision by Government to provide the HSE with additional funding for Fair Deal and transitional care must be realised within our acute hospitals in order to facilitate the timely discharge of older people from our hospitals back into the community via nursing home care. Continuous engagement between the HSE and nursing homes can ensure older people requiring discharge do not experience prolonged delays that are unnecessary. Last week the ESRI highlighted nursing home care is critical to enable Government shift provision of healthcare from our acute hospitals back to the community.”

Tadhg Daly is available for further interview. Contact Michael McGlynn, NHI Communications & Research Executive at 01 4699806 or 087 9082970.