Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2011
148 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 146 of 21 April 2011, and a separate reply from the Health Service Executive of 15 April 2011, if he will confirm the details or status of the special delivery unit; if the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny could be dealt with through the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26579/11]
View answerThe Government is committed to addressing the unacceptable waiting times for treatment in our health service. In this context, I established the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), under the leadership of Dr Martin Connor. The SDU is working to unblock access to acute services by dramatically improving the flow of patients through the system. Public hospitals have been instructed to ensure that, by the end of 2011, they have no patients waiting more than 12 months for treatment. Where they fail to do so, the NTPF will source the necessary treatments elsewhere and the hospitals' budgets will be reduced accordingly. The NTPF will purchase treatments wherever it gets the best value, in either the public or the private sector.
The situation in relation to these longest waiters will be closely monitored and I expect the hospitals concerned to treat those waiting over 12 months as a matter of urgency.
