Jim Mitchell
Question:16 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on waiting times for public patients in Dublin hospitals. [19364/01]
Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.
My Department collates information on public hospital in-patient waiting lists on a quarterly basis from data supplied by health agencies. Data on waiting times are collected only in relation to the nine waiting list target specialties. The waiting times for these target specialties show the number of adults waiting for procedures in the following two categories – those waiting between three and 12 months and those waiting more than 12 months. The waiting times for children are also supplied in two categories – those waiting between three and six months and those waiting more than six months.
The number on in-patient hospital waiting lists for target specialties at 31 March 2001 in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area was 12,599. This represents a 18% decrease on the comparable figure of 15,385 for March 2000.
The number of adults waiting 12 months and more for treatment at hospitals in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area at 31 March 2001 has decreased by 21% and the numbers waiting three to 12 months has decreased by 16% on the comparable figures for March 2000. The number of children waiting between three and six months increased by 4% while the number of children waiting six months and more has decreased by 22%.
A sum of £8.5 million has been made available to the Eastern Regional Health Authority under the waiting list initiative and a further £4.5 million has also been made available to the authority under the cardiac services waiting list initiative for 2001. I understand that the ERHA has commissioned a number of hospitals to carry out 5,000 procedures under phase 1 of the waiting list initiative 2001, in addition to their core baseline activity.
Overall hospital waiting list figures have decreased by 23% since March 2000 and it is my intention to pursue continual reductions in waiting lists and waiting times for hospital treatment in 2001.
I have already outlined the situation regarding the bed capacity needs in the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, and the allocation of the additional revenue funding of £3 million. This funding is being utilised by the ERHA to fund the early commissioning of 53 additional beds and to support a number of initiatives aimed at improving patient services. I am satisfied this investment will allow for the enhancement of acute hospital services in the eastern region.