Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 July 2018
328. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the most commonly identified causes for delays on long waiting lists for elective patients referred by general practitioners to consultants; the extent to which the most readily identified causes have been discovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31195/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government. Investing in additional capacity, including beds and theatre space; the progression of recruitment and retention of staff; the delivery of the NDP project including dedicated elective only hospitals and the ambitious reform agenda in the SláinteCare Report will improve waiting times and access for patients.
As Minister for Health, I am committed to continuing the efforts to address the capacity of the hospital system and in particular its ability to respond during periods of peak demand. In this context, I have asked my Department to work with the HSE to identify the location and mix of beds across the hospital system, which can be opened and staffed this year and into 2019 in order to improve preparedness for Winter 2018/2019.
In recent years, public acute hospital inpatient/daycase activity has increased on a year-on-year basis. In 2016, there was a 2% increase in inpatient/day-case activity over 2015, with almost 1.14 million patients receiving treatment in public hospitals, an increase of almost 40,000 on the previous year. This year, the HSE will deliver 1.14 million hospital operations or procedures and treat 3.3 million outpatients and the NTPF will fund 22,000 Inpatient/Daycase treatments.
Waiting list data for the past three years shows that the highest waiting lists have been across the specialties of orthopaedics, ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (ENT). In this context, the Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan 2018 outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018 and includes a particular focus on those specialties with high waiting lists. Under the Plan, the NTPF has committed to providing 5,000 cataracts, 800 hip/knee replacements, 1,200 tonsillectomies.
In addition my Department will continue to work with the HSE and the NTPF to identify sustainable initiatives to improve waiting times. Last year funding was allocated to provide additional capacity at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital as a result of such initiatives and a cataract theatre is now operational three days per week. This year, in line with the Action Plan, the HSE is planning to open a dedicated Cataract theatre in Nenagh Hospital later this month.
More broadly, my Department has placed a particular priority on performance improvement in scheduled and unscheduled care in order to improve access for patients. At the end of 2017, a new Unit was established in my Department with a remit to work with colleagues, HSE and NTPF to provide strategic direction and drive a whole-of-Department approach to performance oversight and innovation in this area. The monitoring of waiting lists is a key activity of this Unit. While the development of an integrated waiting list solution, tailored specifically to meet the needs of our health system, is also being advanced this year.
