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Hospital Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 May 2018

Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Ceisteanna (323, 324)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

323. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of bariatric care in the west of Ireland, specifically Letterkenny University Hospital, University Hospital Galway and Sligo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22025/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

324. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided for hospital based bariatric services in County Galway in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22026/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together.

The HSE advise that there are two central weight management programmes operation within the Saolta Hospital Group. Saolta, in association with the National Clinical Programme for Health and Wellbeing, commenced the 'Croí Clann' programme in January 2017 and funding of €200,000 per year for a 3 year period will support 400 places on the Croí Clann programme per year. The ‘Croí Clann’ programme adopts a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach, focusing on weight management as part of a comprehensive cardiovascular risk reduction strategy.

In addition, Galway University Hospital provide the 'Milk-based Intensive Lifestyle Intervention' programme (MILIS programme), which is an intensive meal-replacement programme involving 14 visits over six months to the bariatric outpatients department for patients with severe complications of obesity. Currently there are 244 patients on the waiting list for this programme, with the longest waiting on the list since April 2016.

The HSE advise that funding of €110,000 was allocated to Galway University Hospital in 2016 and 22 bariatric surgeries were undertaken. 

In line with the Government’s commitment to improve waiting times for patients, the Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan was launched last month. The Plan outlines the combined impact of HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) elective activity in 2018.

The Action Plan has been developed to ensure an appropriate balance between high volume activities and offering treatment to complex long waiting patients. For very long waiting patients, the Action Plan sets a target that the NTPF will provide 1,200 procedures in 2018. This could include those waiting for bariatric surgery. As outlined in the Plan, the NTPF will do this by inviting public hospitals to seek solutions for very long waiters either in the private sector or through insourcing. The NTPF will provide funding to the solutions proposed if appropriate. 

The NTPF confirm that they have received proposals from Ireland East Hospital Group for bariatric services and these are currently being reviewed.

The Galway University Hospital outpatient waiting list, outpatient activity table, inpatient waiting list and inpatient activity table are in tabular form.

The HSE advise that there is no bariatric service in Sligo University Hospital.

I have asked Letterkenny University Hospital for similar data, and will provide this directly to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available. 

The table represents the current Bariatric Medicine OPD Waiting List at GUH.

Time Frame

0-3 Months

3-6 Months

6-8 Months

8-12 Months

12-15 Months

15-24 Months

Grand Total

Numbers of pts

110

97

108

74

0

0

389

OPD Bariatric Medicine 2016 and 2017 YTD

OPD Bariatric Med Year

New

Review

DNA New

DNA Review

Total Attendances

2017

421

1116

157

369

1537

Jan-April 2018

168

479

54

122

647

The following table represents the Bariatric Surgery IP Waiting List at GUH

Time Frame

0-3 Months

3-6 Months

6-12Months

12-18 Months

18-24 Months

>24months

Grand Total

Numbers of pts

11

12

25

17

25

27

117

The following table represents Bariatric Surgery activity 2017 and 2018 YTD

Time Frame

2017

2018 ytd

Number of pts

16 Bariatric Surgeries

8 Bariatric Surgeries

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