Joe Sherlock
Question:137 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Health and Children the Government's response to the NESF report on equality of access to hospital care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18066/02]
Adjournment Debate. - Hospital Services.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:301 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health and Children the action he intends to take on foot of the report on equity in acute hospital care by the National Economic and Social Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15527/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 301 together.
I welcome the report on equity of access to acute hospital care by the National Economic and Social Forum which focuses on the promotion of equity in access to hospital care, with particular reference to reducing waiting lists and waiting times for public patients and giving greater priority to tackling inequalities in health status as between different groups in our society. I welcome the recognition in the report that the implementation of the health strategy Quality and Fairness – A Health System for You can achieve greater equity in access to health care for the most vulnerable groups in our society. The health strategy outlines a programme of investment and reform of the health services up to 2011. It provides a framework for the reform of the acute hospital system, improved access for public patients and actions to address the issue of waiting lists.
The total number of people on public hospital waiting lists at 31 March 2002, the latest date for which figures have been published, was 25,105. The comparable figure for 31 March 2001 was 26,382. This represents a decrease of 5% on the comparable figure for March 2001. In the period March 2001 to March 2002, there has been a reduction of 62% in the number of adults waiting more than 12 months for cardiac surgery and a reduction of 67% in the number of children waiting more than six months for cardiac surgery. There has been a reduction of 34% in the number of adults waiting for more than 12 months for ENT procedures and a fall of 33% in the number of adults waiting more than 12 months for ophthalmology procedures in the period March 2001 to March 2002.
A new dedicated national treatment purchase fund is being used to target those waiting longest for treatment by purchasing treatments for public patients in private hospitals. The national treatment purchase fund expects to treat up to 1,900 patients this year. As part of the preparatory work for the strategy my Department conducted a comprehensive review of acute hospital bed capacity needs. On foot of this review, the Government has decided to provide an additional 3,000 beds in acute hospitals over the next ten years. This represents the largest ever concentrated expansion of acute hospital capacity in Ireland. Earlier this year I announced the first phase of these additional beds with the commissioning of an extra 709 beds in acute hospitals at a cost of €65 million. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that 258 of these beds have been commissioned under this initiative to date. The latest advice to my Department from the Eastern Regional Health Authority – ERHA – and the health boards indicates in excess of 600 beds will be in place by year end and that the remainder will be commissioned early in the new year.
Initiatives at community level, such as further development of GP co-operative cover arrangements on a national basis, will serve to reduce demand. In this regard, it is intended that a number of teams will come together to provide out-of-hours coverage for population groups. The primary care task force to drive these and other initiatives outlined in the primary care strategy has been established and proposals from health boards for the first tranche of implementation projects are currently under consideration. In the wider context, the Government's review of the national anti-poverty strategy – Building an Inclusive Society – includes specific targets for the health sector and these have been included in the health strategy. Measures aimed at improving equity of access to acute care are a key component to support the achievement of these targets.
Question No. 138 answered with Question No. 134.