Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.
Willie Penrose
Question:
62
Mr. Penrose
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the level of hospital waiting lists at the latest date for which figures are available, by hospital and speciality; the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure lists are reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10485/99]
The total number of persons on in-patient waiting lists on 31 December 1998, the latest date for which figures are available, was 36,883. I am circulating a detailed breakdown of this figure, by hospital and by specialty, with this reply.
While these figures show an increase over the September position, I would again remind the House that there is no simple, immediate or "quick fix" solution that can be applied to the problem of lengthy waiting lists. The review group on the waiting list initiative, which I established to advise me in relation to waiting list issues, emphasised in its report that an integrated series of short-term, medium-term and long-term initiatives must be taken in order to address this issue. Towards this end I have taken a number of important steps. These include allocating £20 million this year for the treatment of patients on waiting lists. This represents an increase of two thirds over the 1998 figure and is 2.5 times higher than the amount allocated by the previous Government for waiting lists in 1997; providing £9 million to services for older people, so that acute hospital beds can be freed up for elective work; providing £2 million to selected accident and emergency services. This will again ensure that acute facilities are more easily available for elective work, including treatments for those on waiting lists; and issuing a new policy circular and guidelines to all relevant agencies regarding the way in which the waiting list initiative should be operated in future.
The report of the review group also recommended that my Department should consider introducing positive financial incentives to hospitals to reduce waiting times. In line with this recommendation, I have decided to retain some of the funding available for waiting list initiative work and to redistribute it to those hospitals which show the most progress in reducing their average waiting times.
My Department has notified agencies that they will risk a reduction in their current waiting list funding during 1999 if it becomes clear that they are falling substantially below the targets agreed under their service plan.
The policy circular and guidelines, issued by my Department on 7 January 1999, outline revised and updated procedures in relation to improved liaison and communication arrangements between acute hospitals and general practitioners; more effective management of waiting lists at acute hospital level; improved management of out-patient waiting lists; and clarifying the criteria for inclusion on a public in-patient waiting list.
As indicated by the review group, some of these important initiatives will take some time to have an effect, but I am confident that they will do so from this year onwards. While waiting lists have increased, it is important to look also at the length of time that patients have to wait for treatment. Waiting times for cardiac surgery and ophthalmology in adults and for orthopaedics and plastic surgery in children have declined since September 1998.
I am determined to take the necessary medium and long-term steps to tackle the underlying causes of unacceptably long waiting lists and waiting times. This will take considerable effort on the part of many agencies, but I believe that we will now begin to show progress in what is a complex problem.
