Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has welcomed that new figures released confirm that Tallaght Hospital has enabled an earlier discharge home from hospital for a total of 137 patients since 2013, through its Early Supported Discharge (ESD) programme.

The ESD programme facilitates an early discharge from the hospital for people who have had a stroke, with home based supports, and acute rehabilitation.

The Sinn Féin TD was speaking after meeting with representatives of the Irish Heart Foundation.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“Unfortunately due to an ageing population and lifestyle, weight, eating, and drinking habits, the number of people succumbing to strokes is on the increase. The rate of death and permanent severe disability from stroke in Ireland has been reduced dramatically in recent years, but hundreds are still dying every year when their lives could be saved.

“Tallaght Hospital is the busiest trauma hospital in the country and despite limited resources its ESD programme has delivered significant numbers of patients safely back into their homes and their communities.

“137 patients have benefited from the scheme and Tallaght Hospital is one of three sites across the State that has this service.

“For me this makes financial sense, frees up premium hospital beds, is safer for the patient, reduces the length of stay, and crucially it helps increase a patient’s functional independence.

“The ESD team currently consists of a physiotherapist, a part time occupational therapist, and a speech and language therapist. Last year showed an average 12% improvement in patients overall functional independence.

“Most importantly of those surveyed 89% of patients felt they were involved in their treatment and said they would choose this system over staying in hospital. This is a massive endorsement and indicates that this programme needs to be encouraged, developed, and rolled out further across the hospital system.”

ENDS