Minister for Health Mary Harney has welcomed the release of the study of ten accident and emergency departments by UK consultant Tribal Secta and said it showed that there was no crisis in A&E.
Mary Harney: no crisis in A&E
She said the report, released under the Freedom of Information Act, showed that in the 10 hospitals that were having problems, it was not a case of lack of resources but a failure in hospital processes that was leading to the problems.
"There are 35 A&E departments around the country and 20 of those don't have any problems," said Ms Harney.
She said that Ireland has some of the best A&E departments in the world and highlighted St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny and Waterford Regional Hospital as two that were operating efficiently.
"3,500 people attend A&E departments around the country every day and less than 10 per cent have a negative experience," said Ms Harney. "The Tribal Secta report shows that the problem is not about beds and resources but how we manage them."
She said the HSE was now working on a hospital-by-hospital basis to look at how their particular problems can be tackled.
She also said that the HSE is in talks with unions to introduce 24-hour operation of some diagnostic services.
"If the public system can't provide the diagnostics we well go the private sector for them," said Ms Harney.
She pointed out that one of the key issues at the current round of national pay talks is health reform and that "flexible working practices" were needed in the health sector.
An outbreak of VRE (vancomycin resistant entercoccus) in Cavan General Hospital is leading to pressure on intensive care-facilities in the North East.
Elsewhere, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda is now advising doctors to try and find beds outside the region if possible.