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Hospital Waiting Lists Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 February 2019

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

Ceisteanna (124, 125)

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

124. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of outpatients awaiting orthopaedic treatment at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore. [5864/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

125. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of outpatients awaiting orthopaedic treatment at Portlaoise hospital. [5865/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 124 and 125 together.

I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families. In this regard, I am committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures.

I hope to publish the joint Department of Health, Health Service Executive (HSE) and National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) Scheduled Care Access Plan 2019 shortly. This will set out commitments aimed at improving access for patients waiting for hospital operations or procedures, as well as patients waiting for a first Outpatient appointment.

A key element of this Plan is the stabilisation of the Outpatient Waiting List which remains a significant challenge. The HSE, in line with the National Service Plan 2019 will provide 3.3 million outpatient appointments, more than 1 million of which will be first outpatient appointments.

In 2019, the HSE will focus in particular on specialties with a high volume of referrals and large proportions of long-waiting patients. In addition, the NTPF, with an increased allocation of €75 million in 2019, will fund an additional 40,000 first outpatient appointments through weekend and out of hour’s clinics and ‘see and treat’ clinics.

The NTPF will deliver this additional activity in the health service by working with hospital groups and individual hospitals as well as private health providers to maximise the number of patients treated in both a public and private capacity. I would strongly encourage all hospitals, including Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise and Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore, to collaborate with the NTPF to identify waiting list initiatives.

The latest Published NTPF Waiting list figures are available at: https://www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm

The data requested by the Deputy is set out below:

Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore – Orthopaedic Outpatient Waiting List

0-3 mths

3-6 mths

6-9 mths

9-12 mths

12-15 mths

15-18 mths

18-21 mths

21-24 mths

24-36 mths

Total

910

697

494

297

172

111

110

77

156

3024

There is only 1 patient on the Orthopaedic Outpatient Waiting List at Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

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