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Hospital Waiting Lists Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2019

Tuesday, 29 January 2019

Questions (297, 298)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

297. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the length of time each person has been on the waiting list for cataract surgery nationally by hospital; the length of time they have been waiting and by month in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3723/19]

View answer

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

298. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the medically advised waiting time for cataract surgeries compared to the waiting times for cataract surgeries nationally by hospital in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3724/19]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 and 298 together.

Improving access to hospital treatment is a key priority for government. Budget 2019 announced a funding increase from €55 million to €75 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, to provide treatment for patients.

My Department is working closely with the NTPF and the HSE to finalise a Scheduled Care Access Plan for inpatients, day cases and outpatients for 2019. In this regard, the NTPF and the HSE will continue to work closely with Hospital Groups, inviting proposals to improve access for patients waiting for either inpatient, day case or outpatient procedures.

In relation to the particular query raised, the HSE National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology has advised that there is no specific medically advised waiting time for cataract surgery. A patient with cataract is advised to have it removed when it significantly impacts on their activities of daily living and this can obviously vary from patient to patient. Once the patient's vision drops to below 6/12 in the better eye, patients are advised to have their cataract removed if they wish to continue driving. They are not in a position to continue driving if their vision is below this level.

The following table of figures provided by the NTPF, shows the numbers waiting by hospital nationally by time band for cataract surgery as of 20 December 2018.

Cataract waiting list as of 20 December 2018:

Sum of Count

Column Labels

Row Labels

  0-3 Months

  3-6 Months

  6-9 Months

  9-12 Months

 12-15 Months

 15-18 Months

18+ Months

Grand Total

Galway University Hospitals

388

453

65

3

3

6

4

922

Letterkenny University Hospital

16

17

8

1

4

2

48

Louth County Hospital

1

1

Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

537

348

71

14

14

13

29

1026

Nenagh Hospital

18

23

28

2

71

Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital

655

457

142

26

9

4

3

1296

Sligo University Hospital

181

132

112

146

11

14

10

606

South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital

256

144

113

8

4

1

526

St. Vincent's University Hospital

131

82

33

4

250

Temple Street Children's University Hospital

2

1

1

4

University Hospital Limerick

244

155

16

13

15

4

13

460

University Hospital Waterford

404

369

283

61

40

28

45

1230

Grand Total

2833

2181

872

278

100

69

107

6440

Figures provided by the NTPF.

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