Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2019
295. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of ENT surgeries cancelled for children nationally by hospital in each of the years 2016 to 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3721/19]
View answer296. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children on ENT surgery waiting lists nationally by hospital in each of the years 2016 to 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3722/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 296 together.
Reducing waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures is a key commitment of Government. The last two years have seen ongoing improvements in the number of children waiting for ENT surgeries, with a reduction of 52% in the number of children waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure in the last two years.
The 2019 Scheduled Care Access Plan is currently being finalised by my Department and will set out HSE activity levels to reduce waiting lists across specialties and improve access. The Access Plan will also set out activity levels for the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, who, following an increase in funding in Budget 2019 to €75 million, will supply additionality to HSE activity by arranging both insourced and outsourced appointments and treatments to reduce waiting times experienced by patients.
The Access Plan is being developed to ensure an appropriate balance between high volume activities and offering treatment to complex long waiting patients. The NTPF will do this by inviting public hospitals to seek solutions for very long waiters either in the private sector or through insourcing. The NTPF will provide funding to the solutions proposed if appropriate.
A breakdown of the IPDC paediatric ENT waiting list for December 2016, December 2017, and December 2018 is provided for the Deputy. In relation to the number of procedures cancelled, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to provide the Deputy with a direct response.
