Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2022
85. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with spina bifida who are on waiting lists for operations by hospital group area; the longest waiting time on each list; the steps he is taking to eliminate these waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7954/22]
View answerI acknowledge that waiting times for many hospital procedures and appointments are unacceptably long. It is of particular regret that children can experience long waiting times for treatment, especially for time sensitive procedures, and I remain acutely aware of the impact that this has on children and their families. I remain committed to working to reduce waiting times for patients.
In relation to the data requested by the Deputy, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) collect, collate and publish waiting lists in respect of outpatient specialties and inpatient/daycase procedures. The NTPF have advised my Department that waiting times can be examined in terms of the appointment or procedure that a patient is waiting for, however, it is not possible to identify the number of patients waiting by clinical diagnosis, for example how many patients with spina bifida are on the waiting list.
While waiting list data is classified in this very specific way, it is possible to provide a broader update in terms of services for children with Spina Bifida. Children's Health Ireland have advised my Department that Temple Street has doubled its capacity from 2 Multidisciplinary (MDT) clinics to 4 MDT outpatient clinics per month. This will improve access to specialists in the area of Neurodisability, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, Urology, Occupational therapy, Physiotherapy, and Neuropsychology. The clinics also provide access to a Medical Social worker and a Clinical Nurse Specialist. CHI has advised the Department that this capacity increase is expected to provide each child with an annual review and will reduce the waiting time for follow up appointments.
Children with Spina Bifida often require specialist orthopaedic procedures. The complex patient needs of these children remains at the forefront of service provision, particularly for Children's Health Ireland. On the 7th February 2022, I met with senior officials of Children’s Heath Ireland (CHI) and the HSE, as well as senior orthopaedic clinicians from Temple Street, Crumlin and Cappagh, to discuss increased orthopaedic activity at CHI and additional activity levels which will work to reduce the number of children waiting for spinal orthopaedic procedures, including children with Spina Bifida, by year end.
In order to tackle waiting lists for orthopaedic paediatric surgery and support the needs of patients with Spina Bifida, an additional €5 million has recently been committed to improve access, including through additional theatre and diagnostic capacity to be brought on stream this year.
This funding will be used to build on the working on-going to improve access to orthopaedics. In 2018 Children’s Health Ireland was provided with an additional €9 million in funding to address paediatric orthopaedic waiting lists, including the provision of scoliosis services. This funding is recurring and has been provided in the base HSE allocation each year since 2018. The additional funding supported the recruitment of approximately 60 WTEs in 2018 and 2019 to enable the expansion of paediatric orthopaedic services. The posts relate to the multi-disciplinary team at diagnosis, pre-assessment, during surgery in theatre, and post operatively.
Children's Health Ireland have confirmed that they continue to examine new and innovative ways to improve access to orthopaedic services. “Cappagh Kids” at the National Orthopaedic Hospital at Cappagh provides additional theatre capacity for non-complex, age appropriate, orthopaedic procedures, freeing up much needed space at central CHI sites for children with complex, multi-disciplinary needs. Additional orthopaedic outpatient sessions are also now held at Cappagh, providing additional capacity to see and assess children on the outpatient waiting list.
In addition, a new fast-track orthopaedic pathway has been developed as part of outpatient reduction plans. Paediatric Active Clinical Triage has already been introduced for the longest waiters (over 12 months) on the paediatric outpatient list.
More broadly, improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures remains a commitment of this Government. For 2022 an additional allocation of €250 million, comprised of €200 million to the HSE and €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has been provided in respect of work to reduce hospital and community waiting lists. The €250 million will be used to fund additional activity in both the public and private sectors. The €50 million additional funding provided to the NTPF brings its total allocation for 2022 to €150 million, and as a consequence there will be a budget of €350 million available to support vital initiatives to improve access to acute hospitals and community health services.
Today I brought to Government the 2022 Waiting List Action Plan which includes high-level targets for waiting list improvement including dedicated funding for service reform, patient pathway improvement, and important significant additionality to substantially reduce the backlog of patients waiting.
This is the first stage of an ambitious Multi-Annual Waiting List Plan, which is currently under development in my Department. Between them, these plans will work to support short, medium, and long term initiatives to reduce waiting times and provide the activity needed in years to come to ensure that our waiting lists are in line with Sláintecare targets. This process will be driven forward and overseen by the Waiting List Task Force, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and includes the CEO’s and other senior representatives from the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
