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This is the seventh national report from the Irish National ICU Audit. It includes activity from 25 adult public hospitals, which collectively provided 99.8% of Level 3 ICU care in adult HSE-funded hospitals in 2023. The Irish National ICU Audit documented the care of 14,363 patients for 15,152 admissions in 29 ICUs/HDUs across 25 adult public hospitals in Ireland during 2023.
Continue the ongoing HSE programme to expand ICU capacity in line with the HSE critical care strategic plan (National Clinical Programme for Critical Care, HSE 2020).
Such capacity planning should include expansion of both Level 2 (HDU) and Level 3 (ICU) beds in order to enhance the efficiency and safety of both admissions to and discharges from appropriate levels of care; the exact configuration of both can be informed by hospital case mix, supported by INICUA annual reports.
Implement a national policy that each Unit should keep one staffed ICU bed empty for urgent admissions, whenever it is possible to achieve this by discharging a patient who is clinically ready for discharge.
Continue the implementation of measures to improve the care of critically ill patients outside ICU, including 24-hour provision of outreach services from ICU, uniform documentation of Irish National Early Warning System (INEWS) scores, and compliance with protocols for the escalation of care for deteriorating patients.
Complete the development of the INICUA database at NOCA in order to allow full utilisation of the data being collected.
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