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Hospital Waiting Lists

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021

Thursday, 9 September 2021

Questions (1236, 1237)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

1236. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on outpatient waiting lists in Beaumont Hospital; the length of their wait broken down into 3 months segments in tabular form. [42163/21]

View answer

Denise Mitchell

Question:

1237. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on inpatient waiting lists in Beaumont Hospital; the length of their wait broken down into 3 months segments in tabular form. [42164/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1236 and 1237 together.

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last eighteen months as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently as a result of the ransomware attack. While significant progress was made in reducing waiting times from June 2020 onwards, the surge in Covid-19 cases in the first quarter of 2021 and the associated curtailment of acute hospital services, coupled with the ransomware attack of May 2021, has impacted waiting times. However, the HSE advise that acute services are now almost all fully restored to pre cyber-attack levels, and are operating in line with relevant Covid protocols.

My Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) are focusing on improving access to elective care in order to reduce waiting times for patients. These plans 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 as outpatient consultations, providing virtual clinics and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.

An additional €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 NTPF. This is to be used to fund additional capacity to address the shortfall arising as a result of infection control measures taken in the context of COVID-19, as well as addressing backlogs in waiting lists.

My Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund are currently working on a Multiannual Waiting List Plan to address waiting lists and bring them in line with Sláintecare targets over the coming years.

The data requested by the Deputy concerning IPDC & outpatient waiting lists at Beaumont Hospital is outlined in the attached document. This information is also available on the NTPF website at: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm

Beaumont waiting list

Question No. 1237 answered with Question No. 1236.
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