Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 September 2018
156. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for orthopaedic operations in the South/South West hospital group sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39268/18]
View answerImproving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government and in 2018 €50 million was allocated to the NTPF to provide treatment for patients. The recently launched Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018 to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment.
As of the end of August 2018, the orthopaedic waiting list for the south-southwest hospital group stood at 1,001 patients, representing a reduction of 74 patients (7%) when compared to the numbers waiting at August 2017.
The majority of patients (439) are listed for South Infirmary Cork, a further 285 patients are awaiting treatment at Lourdes Orthopaedic Hospital Kilcreene. The remaining patients are waiting at Cork University Hospital (16), University Hospital Kerry (124) and University Hospital Waterford (137).
It is important to note that as of the end of August 86% of all orthopaedic patients of the South-Southwest Hospital group were waiting less than 9 months for treatment, while only 9% are waiting more than 1 year.
