Reducing the numbers on waiting lists and shortening waiting times is a critical priority for the Government and progress has been made, with a 22% reduction in patients on waiting lists who are exceeding the Sláintecare waiting time targets since the Covid peaks. The total number of patients treated and removed from waiting lists during the first nine months of 2023 was approximately c.48k (or 4% higher) than the target set. However, additions to waiting lists are far higher than expected. They are considerably higher than the same period in 2022 and c21% higher than the same period in 2019 (which was pre-pandemic). The HSE attributes this trend to both demographic (e.g., population growth, immigration, aging population, etc.) and non-demographic challenges (e.g., increased awareness of services, new service developments, and pent-up demand post COVID pandemic). The current multi-annual approach to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists and waiting times was adopted in September 2021. This will continue next year with the launch of next year’s Waiting List Action Plan (€407 million), as the Department of Health, working closely with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), targets significant in-year additional activity to reduce waiting lists and move us closer to achieving the Sláintecare maximum wait times.
