Hospital Waiting Lists

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 March 2021

Thursday, 11 March 2021

Questions (204, 205)

Alan Kelly

Question:

204. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on inpatient hospital waiting lists by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13657/21]

Alan Kelly

Question:

205. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on outpatient hospital waiting lists by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13658/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.

This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.

Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.

The HSE continues to optimise productivity through alternative work practices such as the use of alternative settings including private hospitals, community facilities and alternative outpatient settings.

In addition the National Treatment Purchas Fund (NTPF) is currently reviewing strategies to maximise activity and benefit for patients, to include, increased use of private hospitals , funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “ see and treat” services where minor procedures are provided at the same time outpatient consultations, funding hybrid services where public and private hospitals contribute to the treatment of patients, virtual clinics, and clinical validation.

Budget 2021 provided an additional €240 million for an Access to Care Fund, €210 of which will be allocated to the HSE and €30 million to the National treatment Purchase Fund. This will be used to fund additional capacity to address the shortfall arising as a result of measures taken in the context of Covid-19, as well as to address waiting lists.

The National Waiting List Management Policy is a standardised approach used by the HSE to manage scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures. It sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists and was developed in 2014 to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care.

The information requested by the Deputy concerning the number of patients on inpatient & daycase (IPDC) and outpatient waiting lists by county, is outlined in the attached document.

OP Waiters by County as of 28/01/2021

County	Amount
Carlow	9315
Cavan	9161
Clare	16311
Cork	57010
Donegal	23846
Dublin	141380
Galway	41153
Kerry	17783
Kildare	28673
Kilkenny	9687
Laois	13444
Leitrim	3759
Limerick	31924
Longford	7235
Louth	15002
Mayo	20275
Meath	22752
Monaghan	5541
Northern Ireland	69
Offaly	11572
Roscommon	9521
Sligo	13134
Tipperary	22747
Unknown	22250
Waterford	19070
Westmeath	14491
Wexford	20936
Wicklow	14922

IP Waiters by County as of 28/1/2021

County	Amount
Carlow	1727
Cavan	846
Clare	3671
Cork	8461
Donegal	7428
Dublin	27184
Galway	7937
Kerry	1979
Kildare	4896
Kilkenny	2034
Laois	2038
Leitrim	848
Limerick	7277
Longford	1066
Louth	1141
Mayo	4190
Meath	2128
Monaghan	567
Northern Ireland	54
Offaly	1709
Roscommon	1919
Sligo	2575
Tipperary	4255
Unknown	9177
Waterford	3017
Westmeath	2070
Wexford	4095
Wicklow	3232