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Health Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020

Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Questions (414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

414. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to the health service for each hour of delay in time-to-theatre for emergency surgery patients in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12914/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

415. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to the health service of a delay in outpatient surgery if the surgery is delayed by 3, 6, 12, 15 and more than 18 months, respectively in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12915/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

416. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to the health service of a delay in a patient's inpatient and day case surgery if the surgery is delayed by 3, 6, 12, 15 and more than 18 months, respectively in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12916/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

417. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to the health service of a delay in a patient's outpatient appointment if the appointment is delayed by 3, 6, 12, 15 and more than 18 months, respectively in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12917/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

418. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to the health service of a delay in a patient's inpatient day case appointment if the appointment is delayed by 3, 6, 12, 15 and more than 18 months, respectively in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12918/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

419. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to society of a delay in a patient's outpatient surgery if the surgery is delayed by 3, 6, 12, 15 and more than 18 months, respectively in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12919/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

420. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to society of a delay in a patient's inpatient day case surgery if the surgery is delayed by 3, 6, 12, 15 and more than 18 months, respectively in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12920/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

421. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to society of a delay in a patient's outpatient appointment if the appointment is delayed by 3, 6, 12, 15 and more than 18 months, respectively in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12921/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

422. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average estimated economic loss to society of a delay in a patient's inpatient day case appointment if the appointment is delayed by 3, 6, 12, 15 and more than 18 months, respectively in tabular form; if this data is not available, the reason no such economic analysis has taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12922/20]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

423. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if an evaluation or research has been conducted into the social loss in cases in which surgery or treatment is delayed; if so, if details of such analysis will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12923/20]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 414 to 423, inclusive, together.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the HSE had to take measures to defer all non-urgent elective scheduled care activity, including outpatient clinics. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), the World Health Organisation, and the National Action Plan published on 16 March. The trajectory of the disease means there is now an opportunity for increasing the provision of non-covid care including more routine care.

NPHET has approved a number of recommendations relating to protecting and maximising the delivery of essential time-critical non-Covid-19 care alongside Covid-19 care. On 5 May, NPHET agreed that its recommendation of 27 March, in regard to the pausing of all non-essential health services should be replaced, in relation to acute care, with a recommendation that delivery of acute care be determined by appropriate clinical and operational decision making. Application of the essential risk mitigating steps set out in the guidance developed under the auspices of the NPHET Expert Advisory group will have operational implications, which will impact on throughput.

Additionally, in order to continue to provide access for patients there has been a considerable growth and investment in virtual outpatient consultations for many specialties across the system. The HSE advise that a total of 203,510 virtual outpatient consultations took place from March to May, representing 36% of all OPD activity over the three months.

My Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund are currently working together to estimate the impact of Covid-19 on Scheduled Care waiting lists with a view to informing activity going forward. As the system continues to deliver Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 care side-by-side over a more prolonged period, my Department and the HSE will continue to work closely together to protect essential non-Covid-19 acute care and progress the provision of more routine non-Covid-19 care.

Evaluating the impact of delayed treatment forms part of two significant research programmes my Department is funding and participating in. In terms of the individual level impact, my Department is a co-investigator of an interim-wave TILDA COVID-19 survey which will seek to understand the experience of delayed healthcare due to the COVID-19 crisis. This project aims to examine the long-term impacts of the public-health led response to COVID-19 on the older population and will collate data on unmet healthcare needs. Findings will be prepared between October and end-January.

With regard to the system level impact, as part of the Department’s Joint Research Programme in Healthcare Reform with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), work is underway to produce a publication by year-end which assesses the potential effects of COVID-19 on acute hospital expenditure projections that are currently being developed. One aspect of this report will investigate the scale of additional hospital activity required to reduce post-COVID waiting lists and maintain them at manageable levels.

Both of the aforementioned work will be published when complete, and therefore will be publicly available.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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