PRIVATE HOSPITALS WILL play a role in the event of a surge in Covid-19 hospitalisations, according to HSE boss Paul Reid.

In his opening statement to the Oireachtas Health Committee today, Reid will tell the committee that the arrangement with private hospitals “will also allow us to augment our existing approaches to Covid and non-Covid pathways, particularly in the event of a surge in Covid-19 hospitalisations”.

The provision has also been made for additional consultants, the extension of renal dialysis satellite stations and home dialysis projects, and for the use of the new technologies for endoscopy under the HSE’s arrangement with the private hospitals.

In terms of waiting lists, Reid will tell committee members today that waiting lists have stabilised “albeit at a higher level”.

“Extra resources for the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) will allow for additional insourced and outsourced initiatives to tackle waiting lists,” says Reid.

“Steady progress is also being made in the resumption of elective activity, and the latest data shows that we are almost in an equivalent position to the corresponding period in 2019.”

As of last night, there are 279 confirmed cases in hospital, with 40 in ICU.  There were five admissions yesterday, and four discharges to ICU.