I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 and 298 together.
Improving access to hospital treatment is a key priority for government. Budget 2019 announced a funding increase from €55 million to €75 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, to provide treatment for patients.
My Department is working closely with the NTPF and the HSE to finalise a Scheduled Care Access Plan for inpatients, day cases and outpatients for 2019. In this regard, the NTPF and the HSE will continue to work closely with Hospital Groups, inviting proposals to improve access for patients waiting for either inpatient, day case or outpatient procedures.
In relation to the particular query raised, the HSE National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology has advised that there is no specific medically advised waiting time for cataract surgery. A patient with cataract is advised to have it removed when it significantly impacts on their activities of daily living and this can obviously vary from patient to patient. Once the patient's vision drops to below 6/12 in the better eye, patients are advised to have their cataract removed if they wish to continue driving. They are not in a position to continue driving if their vision is below this level.
The following table of figures provided by the NTPF, shows the numbers waiting by hospital nationally by time band for cataract surgery as of 20 December 2018.
Cataract waiting list as of 20 December 2018:
Sum of Count
|
Column Labels
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Row Labels
|
0-3 Months
|
3-6 Months
|
6-9 Months
|
9-12 Months
|
12-15 Months
|
15-18 Months
|
18+ Months
|
Grand Total
|
Galway University Hospitals
|
388
|
453
|
65
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
4
|
922
|
Letterkenny University Hospital
|
16
|
17
|
8
|
1
|
4
|
|
2
|
48
|
Louth County Hospital
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
|
537
|
348
|
71
|
14
|
14
|
13
|
29
|
1026
|
Nenagh Hospital
|
18
|
23
|
28
|
2
|
|
|
|
71
|
Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital
|
655
|
457
|
142
|
26
|
9
|
4
|
3
|
1296
|
Sligo University Hospital
|
181
|
132
|
112
|
146
|
11
|
14
|
10
|
606
|
South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital
|
256
|
144
|
113
|
8
|
4
|
|
1
|
526
|
St. Vincent's University Hospital
|
131
|
82
|
33
|
4
|
|
|
|
250
|
Temple Street Children's University Hospital
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
University Hospital Limerick
|
244
|
155
|
16
|
13
|
15
|
4
|
13
|
460
|
University Hospital Waterford
|
404
|
369
|
283
|
61
|
40
|
28
|
45
|
1230
|
Grand Total
|
2833
|
2181
|
872
|
278
|
100
|
69
|
107
|
6440
|
Figures provided by the NTPF.