Last Thursday in the Dáil I clarified that the NTPF published waiting data has consistently excluded patients classified as Pre-Admit and awaiting Planned Procedures. The NTPF published waiting list figures provide an up-to-date and verified picture of patients actively waiting for a date for Inpatient/Daycase and Outpatient appointments.
In 2014 the NTPF guidance to hospitals regarding waiting list management advised that hospitals needed to keep a record of patients' pre-admission and awaiting planned procedures. The NTPF has been in a position to provide to my Department Pre-Admit patients' data since 2011 and Planned Procedures data since 2014.
Indeed, the NTPF regularly reviews its process to ensure best practice and it is currently commissioning a research project examining updated international best practise around publication models and methodologies. I look forward to this work being concluded and to any action arising from its recommendations being taken.
Last Thursday I committed to asking the NTPF to work towards the publication of the Pre-Admit and Planned Procedures Waiting Lists. In this regard, the NTPF will review and advise on clinically appropriate time bands for these two different categories of patients.
Finally, last week, I also announced that the NTPF will audit the practices in the hospitals highlighted by the individual cases featured in the RTE documentary.