Delayed discharges a symptom of a health care system in crisis – Scanlon

Fianna Fáil TD for Sligo-Leitrim, Eamon Scanlon, has said that more resources are needed for appropriate step-down facilities or home help hours as delayed discharges from hospitals reach crisis levels.

He commented, “The health system, home help crisis, and capacity issues in hospitals are all linked. We do not have enough home help hours or step-down facilities. As a result, acute hospital beds are filled for longer than they should be, and Emergency Department wait times grow.

“Growing with these waiting lists are the fear and stress endured by patients and their families.

“A total of 205 people in Sligo and Leitrim are waiting for home help. Of these, 137 have been waiting three months, 25 have been waiting three to six months and 43 have been waiting for six to 12 months. I know for a fact that some of these people are terminally ill.

“Families who care for their loved ones who have been discharged from hospital, living with a terminal illness or special needs deserve supports in the form of home help hours.

“The government must do more to bring down the list of delayed discharges in hospitals. A variety of measures are needed. First, we must look at reopening home help hours and issue hours to those who need them,” concluded Deputy Scanlon.