Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

Overall clinical activity in our acute hospitals is ahead of target by 3.4% and this pattern is likely to continue until the end of the year. When inpatient and day cases are combined, acute hospitals have treated 33,000 more patients to date in 2009 than during the same period in 2008. Outpatient activity is also 3% ahead of target.

Hospitals must deliver their services within budget and they are working intensively to ensure that they do so in 2009. However, the HSE has indicated hospitals will meet the full level of service promised in the service plan for 2009 and, in a number of cases, that they will exceed this target. Hospitals always scale back elective work towards the end of the year, especially in December. This reflects the preference of most patients not to be in hospital during the holiday period. The traditionally quieter time for elective work also gives hospitals an opportunity for refurbishment of wards, deep-cleaning and maintenance, while not disrupting services to patients. However, emergency and acute services such as the accident and emergency department, critical care, acute surgery, acute medicine, dialysis and obstetrics remain fully operational.

My priority is to ensure that all patients receive a quality service without delay. I am pleased that average waiting times published last week by the National Treatment Purchase Fund show a reduction in the average waiting time to just 2.4 months for all procedures. This contrasts with a situation where patients had to wait for between two and five years in some specialties a number of years ago. The number of acute inpatient beds open at any time will depend on varying circumstances, but the HSE has delivered on the service promised in its service plan for 2009 and average waiting times for elective procedures have fallen demonstrably. Hospitals are managing their budgets and levels of service well in this difficult economic situation.

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