The Health Services Executive has announced a new €350 million health spending plan aimed at tackling key priorities such A&E overcrowding and the threat from the MRSA superbug.
The HSE's new strategic planning unit is hoping the plan will reduce the pressure on the system, as 268 patients were left waiting on trolleys in hospitals across the country today.
Around €5 million will be spent to speed up the movement of patients through hospitals.
The HSE plans to restrict the number of non-Dublin patients undergoing operations at Dublin hospitals and to spread admissions for surgery over five days. It will spend €4.5 million on four community intervention teams in Cork City, Limerick City and Dublin south and west so that patients with less serious illnesses can be treated at home by GPs, nurses and home help teams.
More antibiotic pharmacists and infection control nurses will be appointed in a €5 million programme to prevent the spread of the MRSA superbug in hospitals.
The HSE is spending €1.4 million to provide more services for the homeless and €1.7 million on treating and supporting alcoholics who attend A&E Departments.
The newly set up Strategic Planning and Reform Implementation (SPRI) group has already recommended new services for disability, mental health, cancer, suicide prevention and other sectors.
HSE chief executive Brendan Drumm said it was the first time all new development and health reform projects had been co-ordinated through the one group using a consistent approach.
"SPRI's approach enables us to generate greater integration, foster innovative approaches and solutions and unveil opportunities to be more productive and more relevant to patients and clients," he said.
The HSE's €360 million plan also includes projects previously announced in Budget 2006, such as the new A&E Department in St Vincent's Hospital, a new surgical unit in St James's Hospital and the new regional hospital in Tullamore to replace the existing one.
There will also be €74 million spent on disability services such as respite care and residential places and €100 million on services for the elderly.