Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
1220. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health his views on the success or otherwise of the Ennis Hospital ambulance transfer pathway since it was established in January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36107/23]
View answerThe Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) pathway for 112/999 patients commenced operations in Ennis Hospital on January 9th and in Nenagh Hospital on February 7th. The pathway will commence operations at St. John’s Hospital on Thursday 27th July 2023.
The development of this pathway allows patients that meet agreed clinical criteria to be transferred by ambulance and treated in a Model 2 hospital. Its implementation is resulting in patients receiving medical treatment in a hospital closer to their home, is reducing patient presentations to Emergency Departments (EDs) and is helping to release ambulances more quickly to respond to other emergency calls. The MAUs in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals treat patients referred by GPs, ShannonDoc, and now National Ambulance Service paramedics. 112/999 patients that do not meet these clinical criteria will continue to be transported to EDs for assessment and treatment.
To date, 119 patients have been referred to Ennis and Nenagh MAUs through this pathway, playing in important role in ED avoidance.
In addition, to increase activity at MAUs in the region, the University of Limerick Hospitals Group (ULHG) has had funding of €5.2m approved by the HSE’s National Acute Division. This funding has secured the already extended weekend service at Ennis MAU and allows for St. John’s and Nenagh MAU to open seven days per week.
Recruitment is ongoing for an additional 51.45 Whole Time Equivalents for the ULHG MAUs across a number of specialties including medical doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, health and social care professionals and administrative staff. As more of these staff take up post, the number of additional slots available for medical assessment will gradually increase. Once all staff are in post, the overall effect of this investment will be the creation of an additional 7,176 slots per annum across the three sites.
ULHG's MAUs provide diagnosis and treatment for patients referred with medical conditions including chest infections, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), pneumonia, urinary tract infections, fainting episodes, clots in the leg, anaemia or non-acute cardiac problems. In 2022, 12,737 patients were referred to the MAUs in Ennis, Nenagh and St. John's hospitals.
