Hospital Waiting Lists

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 January 2016

Thursday, 28 January 2016

Ceisteanna (263)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

263. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of extended waiting times for discectomies and his views on the provision and availability of such procedures for patients in Dublin Central; if he is aware that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 has been waiting for almost two years for a discectomy and that the delay in having the procedure is severely impacting on the person's quality of life; how he will ensure such procedures are made available more quickly; if he will provide the details of each hospital that provides discectomies, and the number of persons waiting up to three, from three plus to six, six plus to nine, nine plus to 12, 12 plus to 15, and 18 months plus, in tabular form. [3652/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter.