More than one-third of emergency cases referred to intensive care units in hospitals under the Eastern Regional Health Authority last January could not be admitted and had to be sent to other wards, according to a report for the Minister for Health, Mr Martin.
The report, by the Intensive Care Society of Ireland, says facilities in hospitals in the ERHA area are so inadequate that patients who become critically ill may not receive appropriate care, according to specialists working in the area.
In addition, more than 34 per cent of patients due to undergo major elective surgery had to have their operations deferred because they would not be able to receive intensive care.
A shortage of intensive care nursing staff is the main problem that has led to bed closures. However, there is also a shortage of intensive care beds in the Dublin area.
In the main paediatric hospitals, Crumlin and Temple Street, 30 per cent of emergency referrals could not be admitted to intensive care in January and 34 per cent of major elective operations had to be deferred.
The same difficulties were experienced in two regional hospitals surveyed, Limerick Regional and Galway's University College Hospital.
Dr Brian Marsh, president of the Intensive Care Society of Ireland and director of the Mater Hospital intensive care unit (ICU), said major elective surgery requiring post-operative ICU care was severely affected. The situation was worrying, he said. "The real crux is unless you can generate nursing staff willing to work in Dublin in the critical field, there will be an evolving crisis in intensive care, with more beds closing, and more people will not be able to access intensive care beds.
"It really worries me. The more people I meet on this, the less confidence I have that this crisis is being addressed," he added. Some 100 adult intensive care beds were required in Dublin, but at present there were just 65, he said.
The crisis meant that many critically ill patients remained out on the wards or in accident and emergency departments.
"It also results in the cancellation of major surgery at short notice and at great inconvenience and worry to the patient," he said.
"In addition to this, patients are frequently discharged early from the ICU in an unplanned or premature manner, to a lower dependency area or to the hospital ward in order to accommodate the acute needs of a more acutely ill patient.
"As a result, intensive care professionals are currently being forced to discriminate among critically ill patients all deserving of admission to the ICU," he added.