Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 May 2018
463. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which provision is being made to ensure that patients awaiting access to surgical procedures can have their waiting period minimised, thereby reducing the level of pain and suffering which can be considerable in cases in which such persons have to wait for a long period before gaining access to the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23774/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government and in 2018 €50 million was allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to secure treatment for patients.
The recently launched Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018 to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment to below 70,000 in 2018. In 2018, the NTPF will provide 20,000 inpatient day cases through a combination of outsourcing and HSE insourcing initiatives. The HSE will deliver 1.14 million hospital operations or procedures.
The Action Plan has been developed to ensure an appropriate balance between high
volume activities and offering treatment to complex long waiting patients.
Under the Plan, the NTPF commits to offer treatment to all clinically suitable patients waiting more than 9 months for treatment in a number of high volume specialties - including cataract, hip and knee replacement, tonsils and scopes.
For those who are waiting longest for other procedures, the NTPF and HSE will work together to identify the requirements and develop treatment plans for patients. 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 as appropriate.
In terms of treatment offers, the NTPF authorises public hospitals to offer outsourced treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having been referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic. NTPF authorisations are made in respect of the longest waiting patients first.
