Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 February 2014
25. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to ensure that hospitals enforce the new deadlines for reducing waiting lists; his views on whether hospitals have adequate resources to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6955/14]
View answerThe Operational Plan 2014 of the HSE Acute Hospitals Division states the specific access targets which have been determined by the SDU, sets out funding and activity requirements in relation to achieving overall reductions in respect of waiting times and provides assurance that these will be monitored on a monthly basis. In addition, targeted funding of €30m is provided to address areas of acute services which are likely to experience increased service demand, such as ED/inpatient services/day case procedures and outpatient services through the identification and utilisation of additional capacity and capability across the system. This approach of monitoring activity levels, supported by consistent robust data collection and targeted intervention where necessary, has proven to be effective in 2013.
As regards outpatient services, the HSE Service Plan aims to reduce the ratio of new to return OPD attendances from 1 (new): 2.6 (return) attendances in 2013 to 1:2 attendances in 2014. This is best international practice and its achievement will be assisted by the work of the clinical programmes and the concentrated engagement of the SDU. This, taken with the intense focus on OPD waits brought about by my initiatives in this area, will allow the HSE to reduce the actual number of OPD attendances overall whilst aiming to achieve the Government waiting list target. All of these measures will enable the HSE to provide a flexible service to patients and will require co-operation from patients in maximising resources for all.
In relation to in-patient and daycase activity, the planned activity levels presented in the HSE Service Plan for 2014 are 2% below projected outturn for 2013. This is the maximum that could be planned for, given the resources that are available to the HSE which have to be balanced across all the services they provide. Every effort will be used to deploy the €30 million fund provided to address hospital service pressures as effectively as possible to achieve and surpass service plan activity targets.
I have written to the HSE, asking them to manage waiting lists such that target waiting times are achieved by mid-year 2014 and maintained thereafter, rather than allowing waiting lists to escalate in the course of the year as has happened previously. Finally, it is important to bear in mind that the requirement to provide treatment is not guided solely by waiting list targets, but rather by the requirement to effect necessary urgent or elective treatment in case of clinical need. The ability to manage scheduled care waiting lists will also be effected by varying levels of unscheduled care activity and the resultant admissions which may result in prioritisation of emergency procedures over elective activity.
