Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for Government. Budget 2019 announced that the Government has further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) increasing from €55 million in 2018 to €75 million in 2019.
The joint Department of Health/HSE/NTPF Scheduled Care Access Plan 2019 was published in March and sets out measures to improve care for patients waiting for scheduled care in 2019 by reducing waiting times for inpatient/day case treatment and outpatient appointments. The plan will place a strong focus on a number of high-volume procedures. When combined with HSE activity, it is projected that the NTPF will be in a position to offer treatment to all clinically suitable patients waiting more than 6 months for one of these high-volume procedures.
The latest published National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) figures for the end of April show that the Saolta University Health Care Group IPDC waiting list has decreased by 17% (-3,271) when compared to the same period last year. 70% (11,464) of patients on the Saolta IPDC waiting list are waiting 9 months or less and 80% (13,049) are waiting 12 months or less. In terms of long waiters, the number of patients waiting over 12 months has decreased by 17% (-652) when compared to the same period last year.
The information requested by the deputy is outlined in the table.
Saolta Group IPDC Waiting Times
Letterkenny University Hospital
|
879
|
475
|
229
|
105
|
46
|
24
|
40
|
21
|
1
|
----
|
1820
|
Galway University Hospitals
|
2759
|
1770
|
1207
|
947
|
568
|
317
|
499
|
494
|
106
|
20
|
8687
|
Sligo University Hospital
|
1021
|
659
|
373
|
223
|
166
|
106
|
166
|
138
|
16
|
|
2868
|
Mayo University Hospital
|
648
|
447
|
322
|
253
|
188
|
120
|
94
|
10
|
4
|
|
2086
|
Portiuncula University Hospital
|
143
|
44
|
38
|
33
|
16
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
276
|
Roscommon University Hospital
|
198
|
163
|
89
|
24
|
14
|
18
|
25
|
19
|
|
|
550
|
Total
|
5648
|
3558
|
2258
|
1585
|
998
|
587
|
824
|
682
|
127
|
20
|
16287
|