Currently in Ireland, people have a range of options to access publicly-funded healthcare, including: attending a general practitioner (GP) during office hours; by ringing GP out-of-hours services; ringing 112/999 emergency ambulance services; self-presenting at an injury unit; or self-presenting at an emergency department (ED). People also have the option to visit a community pharmacy where they can obtain advice, receive treatment for a minor illness or be redirected to other primary care or urgent care services.
An acute, non-urgent medical care need is where the investigation or intervention for an injury or illness could be safely deferred or managed in various healthcare settings. However, it may be challenging for people to know the difference between an urgent and a non-urgent medical need and or to know which healthcare setting is the most appropriate for them to attend.
When primary care services and injury units cannot be readily accessed, people with acute, non-urgent care needs who are unwilling or unable to wait either go to an ED or call 112 or 999 for an emergency ambulance in order to access healthcare. This has contributed to an increased burden on emergency services and EDs. Under the current pathway, there may also be people who require care, but who defer attending the ED as they do not think this level of care is necessary or because they expect long waiting times. Provision of an acute, non-urgent telephone service is intended to support the timely provision of care in the most appropriate setting.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) requested that HIQA complete a health technology assessment (HTA) to inform a decision on the provision of a telephone service for acute, non-urgent medical care needs in the pre-hospital setting.
The report is now provided as advice to the Minister for Health and the HSE to inform a decision on whether or not to fund the implementation of the telephone service for acute, non-urgent care needs.
More details can be found in the press release from the top of the page.