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NHI calls upon Government to heed ESRI acute hospital report findings Two-thirds of extended stays in acute public hospitals in 2012 were by older persons, the ESRI has reported. The extent of older persons utilising acute hospital services and high level of dependence placed upon these health settings to meet their healthcare requirements has been outlined by the latest report by the ESRI into activity in acute public hospitals. The Activity in Acute Public Hospitals in Ireland 2012 Annual Report was published 10th December and key findings included: P Two-thirds of the total extended stay days in public hospitals in 2012 (66.7% - 657,614) were by persons aged 65+. 10,140 of the stays during the year were by persons aged 65+. P
Over half the total acute stay days were by persons aged 65+ (50.2% - 1,086,927). 34.7% of the such stays were by persons aged 65+ (167,378).
P
The 65+ age group represented 36.4% (511,145) of total discharges in 2012. This represented a 6.4% increase on 2011 number and 5% increase since year 2008.
P
Persons aged 65+ accounted for the largest proportion of total bed days (47.3%), which was an increase of 1.9% on the 2011 figure
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Persons 65+ accounted for 1,744,541 (39.7%) in-patient bed days in 2012.
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4.6% (23,121) of in-patients were discharged to long-stay accommodation (national total – 497,875)
Nursing Homes Ireland warned the Government that it cannot ignore the ESRI-identified need for increasing care services for an ageing population. NHI said that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is represented on the ESRI Council and should take note when allocating health resources. “If official reports produced by public institutes over the years had not been ignored then the recession may not have been so severe, so it’s time to stop ignoring these reports,” said Tadhg Daly, NHI CEO said. “Too many reports get ignored in this country and it is pointless having these institutes if nothing happens at Government-level about their reports.” “It is fantasy for the Government to simply wish older persons will be able to stay in their own homes when it is evident there is considerable dependence being placed upon acute hospitals to provide them with care,” said Mr Daly. “The nursing home sector has a very significant role to play in alleviating the pressures upon acute hospitals and to consequently bring significant reductions to health spending.” “Older persons must be able to access the support of the Fair Deal scheme in a very timely manner. Any cut to the Fair Deal scheme further increases the numbers awaiting the specialist care of nursing homes and in turn leads to further increases in numbers being cared for in the inappropriate settings of public hospitals. The cut to Fair Deal in the 2014 Service Plan poses a serious threat to the positive developments in respect of A&E and hospital waiting times.”
Welsh First Minister at Five Nations Care Forum Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones attended the most recent Five Nations Care Forum Meeting that NHI was represented at. The Care Forum brings together representative organisations for Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland to explore matters such as care delivery, registration, regulation and government policy, and to identify common areas of concern. NHI is the forum member organisation for the Republic of Ireland. First Minister Jones spoke with Tadhg Daly, NHI CEO, and Owen McGartoll, NHI Chairman, at the conference that took place in Cardiff last October. Mr Daly and Mr McGartoll informed of the private and voluntary nursing home sector in the Republic of Ireland and regulation and policy. Speaking at the conference, Minister Jones praised the work of Care Forum Wales, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013. www.fivenationscareforum.com Pictured from left, are, Tadhg Daly, CEO, Nursing Homes Ireland; Bridget Warr, Chief Executive, United Kingdom Home Care Association; Robin Sidebottom, Vice Chair, Scottish Care; Christine Thompson, Independent Health and Care Providers; Wales First Minister Carwyn Jones; Mario Kreft MBE, Chair, Care Forum Wales; Nigel Newman, Senior Business Development Manager, Boots UK; Des Kelly, Executive Director, National Care Forum; Martin Green, Chief Executive, English Community Care Association.
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