Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 May 2018
325. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided for hospital based bariatric services in County Dublin in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22027/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraBariatric services in County Dublin are provided through the Ireland East Hospital Group.
The weight management programme (WMP) in the Ireland East Hospital Group is delivered by St. Columcille’s Hospital (SCH) and St. Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH). The medical multidisciplinary weight management component of the programme is delivered in St. Columcille’s Hospital, whilst patients deemed suitable for surgery are referred to the surgical component of the programme in St. Vincent's.
The HSE advise that since 2015 funding of €300,000 per annum has been allocated to St Vincent's to support the provision of bariatric surgery enabling 30 bariatric surgeries each year. In 2015, 28 bariatric surgeries were performed in St Vincent's University Hospital. In 2016, 29 bariatric surgical procedures were performed and this increased to 34 procedures in 2017.
In August 2017 a second new bariatric surgeon commenced in St. Vincent's and the hospital has made available significant additional theatre capacity to accommodate these cases.
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.
