Vol. 554 No. 5
1028 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of children on public waiting lists for hospital treatment for more than six months in each of the health board regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15981/02]
1029 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of adults on public patient waiting lists for hospital treatment for more than one year in each of the health board regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15982/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1028 and 1029 together.
The number of adults on public hospital waiting lists for more than 12 months and the number of children on public hospital waiting lists for more than six months for the quarter ended March 2002, the latest date for which figures are available, is being provided separately to the Deputy. Considerable progress has been made in reducing waiting times for public patients.
The total number of adults waiting for more than 12 months for treatment in the target specialties has decreased by 20% between December 2000 and March 2002.
In the period March 2001 to March 2002 there has been a reduction of 62% in the number of adults waiting more than 12 months for cardiac surgery and a reduction of 67% in the number of children waiting more than six months for cardiac surgery. There has been a reduction of 34% in the number of adults waiting for more than 12 months for ENT procedures, and a fall of 33% in the number of adults waiting more than 12 months for ophthalmology procedures in the period March 2001 to March 2002.
The health strategy places a new focus on waiting times. While the waiting list initiative will continue to fund additional elective activity, a new dedicated national treatment purchase fund is being used to target those waiting longest for treatment by purchasing treatments for public patients in private hospitals. The national treatment purchase fund expects to treat up to 1,900 patients this year.
