The new partnership between the Health Service Executive and the Private Hospitals’ Association is the right thing to do in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.
Our national response requires that everyone puts their shoulder to the wheel so this is a logical move.
It is a three-month arrangement, which will involve the Private Hospitals’ Association leasing its hospitals to the HSE for use as public hospitals.
Both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients will be treated in the hospitals under the arrangement, which will be available for review on a mutually agreed basis.
The private hospital sector has 19 hospitals with an estimated capacity of 1,900 inpatient beds, 600 day beds, 47 intensive care unit beds and 54 high dependency unit beds.
The sector’s capacity includes 1,000 single bed inpatient rooms, while it will provide an additional 194 ventilators and nine laboratory services at various sites.
The partnership arrangement will offer vital additional beds and services at a time when they are most needed.