Health review focuses on coping with growing elderly population

HEALTH chiefs are reviewing urgent and emergency care across Northern Ireland’s hospitals in a bid to meet the needs of a rising elderly population.

Over the next eight years Northern Ireland’s population is expected to grow by a further 77,600.

By 2026, the numbers aged 65 and over will have reached 74,500.

The Department of Health says emergency departments here have faced serious pressure in recent years — something that will intensify as the health service struggles to deal with this growing older population.

The warning comes as another challenging and difficult winter period is anticipated at hospitals across the UK.

Retired public health doctor David Stewart has undertaken research on Population Health Needs, which will inform the newly announced review on meeting the needs of the growing proportion of older people.

The increase has been sparked by the Baby Boomer generation entering retirement and has prompted health service providers to launch a review of how emergency care is delivered in the future.

It’s anticipated that by the time people reach 85, more than a quarter of patients discharged from hospital will need support in the community, such as at nursing homes.

Currently the proportion waiting longest for emergency admission are those aged over 75, many waiting more than 12 hours.

Department of Health Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly acknowledged that patients are experiencing unacceptable waits while staff are being increasingly stretched.

He said: “The pressures faced by our emergency departments reflect pressures right across the health and social care system — with the rising demand for services outstripping our capacity to provide it.

“We need to fundamentally change the way we do things. That’s why we have announced this review, which will be clinically led.”

Northern Ireland’s chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride said the review involves establishing a new regional care model, with specific focus on the elderly when it comes to hospital admissions and medical assessments.

“There is going to be a significant rise in older people and that is going to put pressures on our hospital services and in primary care,” he said.

“We need to think about smarter ways of meeting the needs of this growing population.”

Sinn Fein health spokesman Pat Sheehan MLA said patients and staff must be fully involved in the department’s review from the outset if it is to be successful.