'Outdated' bed delivery blasted by health chief's

Senior medics say Donnelly's plan hás underestimated need

- CILLIAN SHERLOCK

HOSPITAL consultants have criticised plans for accelerated hospital bed delivery as being based on “outdated” and “underestimated” projection figures. 

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association wants clarification from Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on how his billion-euro scheme will be delivered.

It comes after the Health Service Executive published an expression of interest last week for submissions for up to 1,500 beds across 15 hospital sites to be delivered during 2023 and 2024.

On Tuesday, Mr Donnelly said the Government’s delivery of acute hospital inpatient beds was actually “significantly ahead” of targets set out in a 2018 capacity review.

That review found the need for 2,590 extra hospital beds by 2031 including around 2,100 inpatient, 300 day case and 190 adult critical care beds. IHCA president Professor Robert Landers gave a qualified welcome to the 1,500 additional beds.