Hospital Waiting Lists

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 January 2017

Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Questions (820)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

820. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health further to his statement on 8 December 2016 that the HSE had advised that between August 2016 and December 2016 there had been a reduction of over 8,000 patients on the inpatient and day case waiting list under the waiting list action plan either through treatment provision, clinical validation or being given a date for their procedure to take place, the numbers that received treatment provision; the number removed from the list following clinical validation; the number removed having been given a date for their procedure to take place; and if the number removed following receipt of a date for their procedure received that procedure prior to December 2016. [41087/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

In August 2016, I requested that the HSE develop an Action Plan on Waiting Lists focused on those waiting the longest. The Action Plan set a target to reduce the number of patients waiting 18 months or over for Inpatient or Daycase procedure by 50% by the end of 2016. December 2016 waiting list performance data confirmed that the HSE achieved its target. Since the commencement of the Action Plan, in achieving the target, 11,519 patients have come off the Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List through treatment provision, scheduling of treatment in the next six weeks or clinical validation. The actual number of people waiting for procedures for 18 months or over at the end of December was 1,738. There was no patient waiting over 36 months.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.