Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004
25 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the action she is taking to address the waiting list for appointments to meet consultants prior to gaining access to the official waiting list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31835/04]
View answer31 Mr. Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps she has taken to reduce waiting lists for outpatients’ care in view of the extra funding for the NTPF; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31793/04]
View answer84 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which she intends to deal with the silent waiting list, that is, patients waiting to attend outpatient services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31786/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 31 and 84.
In accordance with health strategy objectives, the Government's immediate focus is on the reduction of waiting lists and waiting times for inpatients and day case treatments in acute hospitals. This is being particularly facilitated by the national treatment purchase fund, NTPF.
To date the fund has arranged treatments for some 22,000 patients. It is now the case that, in most instances, anyone waiting more than three months will be facilitated by the fund. I have increased the funding available to the NTPF to €64 million in 2005 and I expect that it will be able to provide treatment for a further 17,000 patients during the coming year.
Responsibility for the management and monitoring of outpatient waiting lists rests with individual hospitals and health boards. It is a matter for each hospital to prioritise their services based on patient need and use their available resources to best effect to ensure that patient services are delivered efficiently and effectively. However, I intend to raise with the NTPF the question of how we might begin to make progress in relation to outpatient appointments in 2005.
