Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Further improvements are underway and more will be done in the years ahead.

The Government has embarked on a hospital modernisation programme, with the largest infrastructure capital expenditure in the last 50 years. Waiting list data collected by the Department of Health and Children at the end of 1997 reported some 45% of adults waiting in excess of 12 months for surgery. This was acceptable to the Opposition when it was last in office. The national treatment purchase fund estimates that waiting times have fallen significantly with 37% of patients now waiting between three and six months and 43% waiting between six and 12 months for surgery. This means that approximately 80% of patients now wait less than one year for treatment, representing a major reduction in waiting time lengths.

The total discharges in inpatient and day care services for 2004 show an increase of over 35% since 1997. The number of day care treatments in 2004 has doubled since 1997. Since the end of 1997, the number of consultant posts has increased by 47% while there has been a 145% increase in the number of occupational therapists, a three quarter increase in speech and language therapists, a 91% increase in the number of physiotherapists and a 41% increase in the number of medical and dental personnel. These large increases in medical personnel are delivering more treatment across a range of areas. Over 30,000 more personnel are employed in the health sector. Is this a waste of resources?

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