The HSE has announced that additional funding of €558,700 has been provided to Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1 and the Saolta Group jointly to support improved patient care in the hospitals and community services in the North West.
The health body published their National Winter Plan 2019-20 providing for funding of €26m nationally to support the HSE to manage the known increase in demand the health service will face over the winter months.
Of this, €6.8m has been allocated to hospital and community services across the country to allow for specific local initiatives to improve patient care.
The funding comes as hospitals prepare for higher rates of respiratory viruses circulate including seasonal influenza, norovirus and healthcare-associated infection.
Indeed a number of hospitals in the Saolta Group have already implemented visiting restrictions this month due to outbreaks of norovirus.
It is also a time when hospital Emergency Departments are under increasing pressure.
John Hayes Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1 said, “We have been working very hard over the last number of months in partnership with our colleagues in the Saolta Hospital Group to improve the care we will provide to patients over the winter period.
“We are particularly focused on helping patients avoid hospital admission and supporting the transfer of care of older patients from acute hospitals to the community as quickly as possible.
“This funding will also allow us to provide for additional aids and appliances which will facilitate patients’ earlier discharge from hospital. We are also implementing a reablement programme, which provides supports to older people to enable them to remain in their own homes.”
