The use of private healthcare in public hospitals should be phased out, Sinn Féin has urged ahead of this month’s budget. 

Were it to form a Government, the party has promised it would phase out its use over a 10 year period. 

In its pre-budget health submission, Sinn Féin also advocates abolishing prescription charges for medical card holders and inpatient charges over two years.

Pills on prescription

It also wants Budget 2023 to deliver 500 additional acute inpatient beds, 37 extra critical care beds and a 10% expansion in surgical theatre capacity.

A recent report by the ERSI for the HSE predicted that with both a growing and ageing population Ireland will need staff numbers in acute public hospitals to increase by 15,500 over the next 13 years. 

With that in mind, Sinn Féin want the Government to create 1,500 new graduate places for courses related to healthcare.

Main image: Hospital beds. Picture by: OJO Images / Rex Features