Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 March 2019
213. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting orthopaedic surgical appointments; the extent to which this number has fluctuated over the past five years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12615/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI 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.
The recently published National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) Waiting List figures show that at the end of February 2019, there are 10,949 patients on the Orthopaedics Inpatient and Daycase (IPDC) waiting list. Of these, 62% (6,837) are waiting 6 months or less, 77% (8,402) are waiting 9 months or less and 15% (1,657) are waiting over 12 months.
Budget 2019 announced that the Government had further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the NTPF increasing from €55 million in 2018 to €75 million in 2019.
I published the joint Department of Health, Health Service Executive (HSE) and National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) Scheduled Care Access Plan earlier this week. This Plan sets out a number of commitments aimed at improving access for patients waiting for hospital operations or procedures as well as patients waiting for a first Outpatient appointment.
The data requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table. These figures are published by the NTPF on their website ntpf.ie.
Orthopaedic IPDC Waiting List -Dec 2014 - February 2019
|
0-3 Months |
3-6 Months |
6-9 Months |
9-12 Months |
12-15 Months |
15-18 Months |
18 + Months |
Total |
|
|
February 2019 |
3783 |
3054 |
1565 |
890 |
518 |
362 |
777 |
10949 |
|
February 2018 |
3868 |
3029 |
1924 |
1277 |
668 |
496 |
708 |
11970 |
|
December 2017 |
4257 |
2784 |
1811 |
1102 |
637 |
349 |
593 |
11533 |
|
December 2016 |
4330 |
2608 |
1923 |
1164 |
763 |
333 |
110 |
11272 |
|
December 2015 |
4156 |
2479 |
1549 |
866 |
500 |
60 |
113 |
9723 |
|
December 2014 |
4099 |
2565 |
1564 |
782 |
546 |
183 |
103 |
9842 |
