The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has found that emergency departments are under ongoing strain due to a number of factors such as patient flow, bed capacity and staffing deficits.

The findings, published in HIQA’s Overview report of monitoring and regulation of healthcare services between 2021 and 2023, has highlighted HIQA’s inspection and monitoring activity during a time where the health service was responding to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, HIQA introduced a new inspection programme focusing on hospitals and emergency departments throughout the country.

The report also outlines some examples of good practice. Key contributory factors include increased bed capacity, effective and targeted use of the additional beds and staffing, and sustained focus on internal operational management processes.

The overview report found that hospitals continue to be challenged with sufficient single-room capacity and suitable infrastructure to support demand, capacity and limit the possible transmission of infection.