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Hospital Waiting Lists

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021

Tuesday, 19 October 2021

Ceisteanna (176)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

176. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the detail of the waiting list for neurology services in County Galway; the steps being taken to address this issue; if more nurse specialists in neurology will be appointed in Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50765/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last nineteen months as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently as a result of the ransomware attack. While significant progress was made in reducing waiting times from June 2020 onwards, the surge in Covid-19 cases in the first quarter of 2021 and the associated curtailment of acute hospital services, coupled with the ransomware attack of May 2021, has impacted waiting times.

My Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) are focusing on improving access to elective care in order to reduce waiting times for patients. These plans include increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services where minor procedures are provided at the same time as outpatient consultations, providing virtual clinics and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.

On the 7th October I published the Acute Waiting List Action Plan. This plan, to run until December 2021, has a series of targeted measures that are designed to address the growth in waiting lists caused by Covid-19 and the cyber-attack.

In addition, my Department, the HSE and the NTPF are also working on a Multi Annual Waiting List Plan to bring waiting lists in line with Sláintecare targets over the coming years. This process will be overseen by a Ministerial Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and includes representatives from the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund. The plan will be informed by the lessons learned from the successful Vaccine Taskforce.   

For 2022 an additional allocation of €250 million, comprised of €200 million to the HSE and €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund has been provided in respect of work to reduce hospital and community waiting lists. The €250 million will be used to fund additional activity in both the public and private sectors. The €50 million additional funding provided to the NTPF brings its total allocation for 2022 to €150 million, and as a consequence there will be a budget of €350 million available to support vital initiatives to improve access to acute hospitals and community health services.

The HSE has advised that GUH have interviewed for a Neurology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and plan to interview for the second CNS in the coming weeks.

In addition, one Clinical Nurse Specialist Neurology Paediatric post will be re-advertised as a previous campaign was unsuccessful and the recruitment of one Clinical Nurse Specialist in Paediatric Neurodevelopmental, is in process.

The information requested by the deputy concerning the waiting list for neurology services in County Galway is outlined in the attached document. This information contains the neurology IPDC and outpatient hospital waiting lists for patients with an area of residence for County Galway.

Total Waiters for an Inpatient Neurology Procedure with Area of Residence in Co.Galway by Wait Time Band as at 30/09/2021

Sum of Total

Age

Row Labels

0-12 Months

12 Months +

Grand Total

Galway

9

13

22

Question No. 177 answered with Question No. 137.
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