Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
25. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that in December 2023 an organisation (details supplied) stated that the latest National Treatment Purchase Fund figures confirm that the three main health care waiting lists are at a virtual standstill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1647/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise that waiting lists have been historically high, a situation that worsened considerably with the Covid-19 pandemic. That's why I sought and secured significant funding for a multi-annual approach to reducing waiting lists and more importantly waiting times.
The core target of achieving a 10% reduction in the number of patients breaching the Sláintecare waiting times was exceeded, with an 11% reduction achieved, and the target of removing approximately 1.66 million patients from waiting lists in 2023 was exceeded by 5%. This covers inpatients, day case, outpatients and GI scopes.
Since the pandemic peaks there has been a 27% reduction in the number of people waiting longer than the Sláintecare targets, which equates to nearly 170,000 people.
However, when compared to both 2022 and the pre-pandemic period of 2019, the level of additions to our waiting lists also increased significantly last year. Despite this, 2023 was the second year in row that our total waiting lists fell, with over 177,000 more patients removed from the lists than 2022. They also fell in 2022, which was the first annual decrease in national hospital waiting lists since 2015.
In 2024 I've secured a further €407 million in funding to be allocated across acute hospital and community services. This includes €332 million for the 2024 WLAP, which is currently being developed by my Department and the HSE.
