Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2013
21. Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Health the measures that have been taken to tackle inpatient and day case waiting lists in Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14295/13]
View answerIn 2011, I established the Special Delivery Unit in my Department as set out in the Programme for Government. The aim of the SDU is to unblock access to acute services by improving the flow of patients through the system. The SDU's Scheduled Care Team focused initially on waiting times for in-patient and daycase elective surgery. For 2012, a target was set that no child should wait longer than 20 weeks for inpatient or daycase treatment. By the end of December 2012, the number of children nationally having to wait more than 20 weeks was down to 89, a drop of 95% on the 1,759 children waiting longer than the target in December 2011.
I am determined that the progress made in 2012 be maintained and improved upon and the 20-week target remains in place for 2013. It is important to recognise that the progress made in 2012 does not mean the problem is solved, and 2013 will of course be extremely challenging. For example, winter pressures have impacted on scheduled care waiting times for children. However, in the coming months, as winter pressures ease, the SDU will work towards re-balancing scheduled care to maintain the improvements seen in 2012.
I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the specific query raised.
