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Hospital Waiting Lists

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 September 2013

Thursday, 26 September 2013

Questions (44)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

44. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the measures he will take to reduce the number of persons waiting for initial appointments with hospital consultants; the current number of people waiting for such appointments at present; the number waiting for a year or more; if he has a target for reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40043/13]

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Written answers

Under this Government, clear data on outpatient waiting lists is being published for the first time following a national project undertaken by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). The waiting list for outpatients is updated monthly and includes numbers waiting by hospital, by timeframe and by specialty.

In August 2013, there were 374,104 people overall on outpatient waiting lists. 84,167 were waiting more than one year. This compares with 384,632 people waiting on outpatient appointments in March 2013 (when electronic data collection was introduced). A maximum waiting time target of 12 months for a first-time outpatient appointment has now been set, as shown in the HSE Service Plan 2013. Hospitals are working closely with the HSE Special Delivery Unit and the NTPF, and have developed and commenced necessary action plans to achieve the national target by December 2013.

The availability now of clear data allows resources to be targeted appropriately , including tackling long waits, while the delivery of outpatient services is being reformed through the Outpatient (OP) Service Performance Improvement Programme. The overall aim of the Programme is to ensure timely, appropriate access to OP services.

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