Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 5

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Finian McGrath

Question:

284 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the practical proposals he has to deal with waiting lists and ward closures in hospitals. [14414/03]

There has been a significant reduction in the number of adults waiting longest for in-patient treatment. The total number of adults waiting more than 12 months for in-patient treatment in the nine target surgical specialties has fallen by 30% from 7,402 to 5,209 in the period June to December 2002. Some individual specialties have shown greater reductions. The specialty of cardiac surgery, for example, showed a reduction of 47% in the numbers waiting more than 12 months in the period June 2002 to December 2002 while the specialty of gynaecology showed a decrease of 45% in the same period. The total number of children waiting for more than six months for in-patient treatment has fallen by over 31%, from 1,576 to 1,081, between June and December 2002. The most significant reductions have been seen in the specialties of general surgery and plastic surgery where the number of children waiting more than six months for treatment has fallen by 52% and 44% respectively in the period.

A sum of €43.8 million is available to health agencies in 2003 under the waiting list initiative. In addition, a further €31 million is available under the national treatment purchase fund, NTPF, to target those waiting longest for treatment. To date, approximately 4,200 long waiters have received treatment under the NTPF. The work of the NTPF has raised issues in relation to the accuracy of numbers reported to be waiting longer than 12 months for treatment. As a result, in consultation with the NTPF, ERHA and the health boards, I intend to bring forward proposals for a new system of management and organisation of waiting lists nationally.

In relation to bed closures, it is a feature of all acute hospital systems that some beds are out of use for short periods due, for example, to ward refurbishment, essential ward maintenance, staff availability and infection control measures. Under the Health (Amendment)(No. 3) Act 1996, health boards are required to deliver a level of services consistent with their approved budgets. Given the level of funding available this year, the structuring of overall service plans by health agencies for 2003 may involve some containment of service activity in order to manage within budget.

Top
Share