Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 July 2012
750 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for a colonoscopy on 16 July 2012; the number of these persons waiting more than three months for the procedure; the number of these persons waiting more than five months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36378/12]
View answer751 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the capacity of hospitals to allow them to deliver colonoscopy procedures where there is an increased demand for colonoscopies [36379/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 750 and 751 together.
The Minister has set a target that, by the end of 2012, that no patient should have to wait more than 13 weeks for routine GI endoscopy (that is either a colonoscopy or gastroscopy ) once placed on a hospital daycase waiting list. This is an extremely challenging and ambitious target and in order to support hospitals in reaching this target the SDU has commenced a GI Endoscopy Performance Improvement Programme that encompasses the SDU, National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) and the HSE. The aim in the short term is to eliminate long waiters (those patients waiting greater than 3 months) with the NTPF agreeing programmes of support with individual hospitals that will see the longest waiters having their procedure. This will enable the hospital system to undertake up to 13,000 additional GI endoscopy procedures this year. The medium and long term aim is to ensure clinically appropriate referrals, standardised pathways of care, sustainable short waits, position units to successfully complete JAG accreditation and ultimately achieve better outcomes for patients.
Below are the latest monthly figures for national waiting list data on colonoscopies.
|
GI Scopes (Colonoscopies Only): 28-June-2012 |
Patients waiting |
|
|
> 3 mths |
> 5 mths |
|
|
Bantry General Hospital |
20 |
11 |
|
Beaumont Hospital Dublin |
216 |
4 |
|
Cavan General Hospital |
1 |
0 |
|
Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown |
40 |
1 |
|
Cork University Hospital |
83 |
40 |
|
Ennis General Hospital |
74 |
7 |
|
Kerry General Hospital |
111 |
30 |
|
Letterkenny General Hospital |
213 |
153 |
|
Louth County Hospital |
63 |
11 |
|
Mallow General Hospital |
14 |
7 |
|
Mater Hospital Dublin |
41 |
16 |
|
Mayo General Hospital |
37 |
20 |
|
Mercy University Hospital Cork |
149 |
91 |
|
Mid Western Regional Hospital Dooradoyle |
92 |
34 |
|
Mid Western Regional Hospital Nenagh |
117 |
32 |
|
Midland Regional Hospital at Mullingar |
12 |
2 |
|
Midland Regional Hospital at Tullamore |
30 |
7 |
|
Naas General Hospital |
1 |
0 |
|
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda |
114 |
15 |
|
Our Lady’s Hospital Navan |
1 |
0 |
|
Portiuncla Hospital |
8 |
5 |
|
Roscommon County Hospital |
3 |
2 |
|
Sligo General Hospital |
21 |
0 |
|
South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork |
24 |
11 |
|
South Tipperary General Hospital |
5 |
0 |
|
St. Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown |
5 |
3 |
|
St. John’s Hospital Limerick |
115 |
73 |
|
St. Luke’s General Hospital Kilkenny |
47 |
10 |
|
St. Vincent’s University Hospital Elm Park |
5 |
2 |
|
Tallaght Hospital (AMNCH) |
426 |
193 |
|
University College Hospital Galway |
289 |
143 |
|
Waterford Regional Hospital |
49 |
18 |
|
Wexford Hospital |
7 |
1 |
|
Total |
2,433* |
942 |
*There were 2,433 cases waiting over 3 months for routine colonoscopy, out of that figure, 942 were waiting over 5 months.
