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Hospital Waiting Lists

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2021

Tuesday, 14 December 2021

Ceisteanna (538, 539, 540, 541)

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

538. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting a consultation with a paediatric urologist at Temple Street Hospital; the number waiting up to 6, 6 to 12, 12 and 24 and more than 24 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61146/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

539. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for a consultation with a paediatric urologist at Temple Street Hospital in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the plans he has to reduce the waiting time for a consultation with a paediatric urologist at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61147/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

540. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting a paediatric urology procedure at Temple Street Hospital; the number waiting up to 6, 6 to 12, 12 and 24 and more than 24 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61148/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

541. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for a paediatric urology procedure at Temple Street Hospital in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the plans he has to reduce the waiting time for procedures at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61149/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 538 to 541, inclusive, together.

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.

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 National Treatment Purchase Fund (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.

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 information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the attached documents. This information shows the number of children on the IPDC & OPD paediatric urology waiting lists at Temple Street Hospital, in the requested time-bands. In regard to the requested average wait times for paediatric urology at Temple Street Hospital, the health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate average wait times. In particular, the time to treatment of patients who have already received their care is not collected. The NTPF collects data on patients currently on the waiting list and the average time that these patients have been waiting is provided here.

Total Waiters for an Outpatient Paediatric Urology Appointment in CHI at Temple Street by Wait Time Band as at 25/11/2021

Sum of Total

Column Labels

Row Labels

0-6 Months

6-12 Months

12-24 Months

24 Months +

Grand Total

CHI at Temple St

Paediatric Urology

138

88

156

218

600

Average and Median Wait Time for an OP Paediatric Urology Appointment in CHI at Temple St 2019-2021

Date

Average Wait Time (Days)

Median (Days)

Dec-19

393

381

Dec-20

506

464.5

Nov-21

569

581

Average and Median Wait Time for an IPDC Paediatric Urology Procedure in CHI at Temple St 2019-2021

Date

Average Wait Time (Days)

Median (Days)

Dec-19

216

160

Dec-20

318

308.5

Nov-21

416

371

Total IPDC Waiters for a Paediatric Urology Procedure in CHI at Temple Street by Wait Time Band as at 25/11/2021

Sum of Total

Column Labels

Row Labels

0-6 Months

6-12 Months

12-24 Months

24 Months +

Grand Total

CHI at Temple St

Paediatric Urology

48

22

43

30

143

Question No. 539 answered with Question No. 538.
Question No. 540 answered with Question No. 538.
Question No. 541 answered with Question No. 538.
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