Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 September 2011
155 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for a colonoscopy at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; the average time on the waiting list; the steps being taken to reduce waiting list; the average waiting time across the country for a colonoscopy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25248/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2009 the HSE provided hospitals with national guidelines on managing colonoscopies. This included a definition to prioritise patients referred for colonoscopy services into two groups — urgent and non-urgent. The target time frame for urgent cases to be seen is within 4 weeks. For the month of June, 98.1% of patients waiting for an urgent colonoscopy had the procedure within the 28 day target. Nationally, 5 patients were outside the 28 day target. This is a slight improvement on the May figure when the rate was 97.8% with 20 people outside the 28 day target.
For non-urgent colonoscopy, figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show that over 1,600 people are waiting between 3-6 months and a total of 2,418 are waiting up to 12 months and longer for the procedure.
The HSE has put in place a specific waiting list initiative to deal with this issue. This will see an additional 3,000 endoscopies (that is colonoscopies and upper endoscopies) take place by the end of the year, in hospitals where there are waiting lists. The aim of this initiative is to increase access to routine colonoscopies for patients. A second phase of this initiative will bring the total additional number of endoscopies to be undertaken to 7,000.
With regard to the Deputy's questions in relation to colonoscopies at Beaumont Hospital specifically, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him on these matters.
