Hospital Waiting Lists

Wednesday, 21 April 2021

Questions (1867)

David Cullinane

Question:

1867. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children under 18 years of age waiting on the inpatient day case active waiting list less than six, six to 12 and more than 12 months by hospital group in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19178/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

On 23 March the HSE published the “Safe Return to Health Services Plan”. This plan outlines a three phased plan for the proposed restoration of services across Community Services, Acute Hospital Operations, Cancer Services and Screening Services. It sets target times for their safe return and details the conditions and challenges that will have to be met.

Every phase of the plan has been informed by clinical guidance and putting patient and staff safety first.

Decisions in relation to the type and volume of activity will be made at site level based on local COVID-19 numbers, available capacity and guidance from national clinical leads.

The schedule outlined in the plan for resumption of services will be regularly monitored by the HSE and updated as appropriate, dependant on public health advice and healthcare capacity.

The work of the HSE to improve access to elective care and reduce waiting times for patients is supported by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). This includes 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 as outpatient consultations, funding hybrid services where public and private hospitals contribute to the treatment of patients, virtual clinics and clinical validation.

€240 million has been provided in Budget 2021 for an access to care fund, €210m of which has been allocated to the HSE and a further €30m 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.

In relation to the number of children under 18 years of age on the inpatient/day case active waiting list, the NTPF has provided the information requested in the table attached. The NTPF has further advised that within the Public Health System, children are generally classified as those under the age of 16, while the figures in the attached tables also include patients between 16 and 18 years of age, to reflect patients who were under 18 at the end of March 2021 according to the Date of Birth received from the relevant hospital.

IPDC Waiting List for Children Under 18 by Hospital Group and Specialty as of 25/3/2021

	0-6 Months	6-12 Months	12+ Months	Small Volume TimeBands	Grand Total
Children's Health Ireland	2802	1197	2301	41	6341
Cardio-Thoracic Surgery	69	10			79
Clinical Immunology	89	25	45		159
Dental Surgery	80	37	141		258
Immunology	42	16	37		95
Maxillo-Facial	9	6	15		30
Neonatology				5	5
Ophthalmology	200	71	141		412
Paed Cardiology	137	53	45		235
Paed Endocrinology	17	12	16		45
Paed Gastro-Enterol	287	97	151		535
Paed Metabolic Medicine				6	6
Paed Nephrology			6	5	11
Paed Orthopaedic	474	178	522		1174
Paediatric Dermatology	46	9	9		64
Paediatric ENT	289	151	252		692
Paediatric Infectious Diseases				7	7
Paediatric Neurology	6		9		15
Paediatric Neurosurgery	30	9	6		45
Paediatric Radiology	13	8	21		42
Paediatric Respiratory Medicine	307	294	497		1098
Paediatric Surgery	371	80	84		535
Paediatric Urology	182	79	149		410
Paediatrics	18	19	27		64
Plastic Surgery	131	43	72		246
Rheumatology	5		56		61
Small Volume Specialties				18	18
Dublin Midlands Hospital Group	187	19	11	28	245
Gastro-Enterology	8	6			14
General Surgery	42	7			49
Maxillo-Facial			5		5
Orthopaedics	14				14
Otolaryngology (ENT)	118	6	6		130
Plastic Surgery	5				5
Small Volume Specialties				28	28
Ireland East Hospital Group	270	53	113	22	458
Gastro-Enterology	5				5
General Medicine	5				5
General Surgery	71	10	8		89
Ophthalmology	34	14	42		90
Orthopaedics	119	18	47		184
Otolaryngology (ENT)	24	11	16		51
Paediatrics	6			5	11
Plastic Surgery				5	5
Small Volume Specialties				12	12
Urology	6				6
RCSI Hospitals Group	170	61	89	21	341
Clinical Immunology	6				6
Gastro-Enterology	5				5
General Surgery	65	27	53		145
Neurosurgery	5				5
Otolaryngology (ENT)	30	20	36		86
Paediatric ENT	59	14			73
Small Volume Specialties				14	14
Urology				7	7
Saolta University Health Care Group	366	150	349	29	894
Gastro-Enterology				6	6
General Medicine	7		7		14
General Surgery	90	29	30		149
Gynaecology				8	8
Ophthalmology	23	17	48		88
Oral Surgery	22	8	16		46
Orthopaedics	27	24	37		88
Otolaryngology (ENT)	108	23	73		204
Plastic Surgery	42	22	64		128
Small Volume Specialties				15	15
Urology	47	27	74		148
South/South West Hospital Group	488	118	183	29	818
Gastro-Enterology				9	9
General Surgery	90	12	15		117
Ophthalmology	51	8	57		116
Orthopaedics	42	9	12		63
Otolaryngology (ENT)	151	45	52		248
Paediatric Neurology				6	6
Paediatrics	24				24
Plastic Surgery	40	15	13		68
Small Volume Specialties				14	14
Urology	90	29	34		153
University of Limerick Hospital Group	112	40	214	29	395
Dental Surgery			20		20
Gastro-Enterology	5			6	11
General Surgery	13		18		31
Maxillo-Facial	20	6	48		74
Ophthalmology	5	5	11		21
Orthopaedics		5	5		10
Otolaryngology (ENT)	34	7	54		95
Paediatrics	7				7
Small Volume Specialties				23	23
Urology	28	17	58		103
Grand Total	4395	1638	3260	199	9492