The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has recommended five main steps to tackle the Accident and Emergency (A&E) crisis in hospitals.
The recommendations are contained in a position paper which will be presented to members attending the IMO's annual general meeting on March 31 stin Killarney.
The five main recommendations are the implementation of the primary care strategy to reduce demand on A&E services, the introduction of measures to reduce the problem of alcohol related illness, the appointment of additional A&E consultants, the development and implementation of a long-term funding plan and increasing the numbers of acute beds in hospitals.
The organisation also calls for the provision of more-out-of hours GP services and the transfer of elderly patients from acute beds to long stay nursing accommodation to reduce the demand on A&E services.
In addition, the paper recommends a ban on alchohol advertising and an increase in the number of high dependency unit beds.
Commenting on the paper, IMO President Dr James Reilly, said: "Our view is that the process of health reform, which has been under way since 2002, is founded on changes in the structures, funding and delivery of health services in Ireland. Accident and Emergency Services form one of the most visible parts of the health service. Despite the reform processes, the experience of the patient at A&E has not improved."