Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While we cannot be happy about not meeting all the targets for children it does mean that four out five people are receiving treatment within target times. This morning the Government approved the draft service plan submitted by the Health Service Executive, HSE, to the Minister for Health. The Deputy is aware that over €600 million has been allocated for health for 2015. There was an overrun of €510 million which will allow for some changes to be made. In September of this year the number of patients waiting in excess of 12 months for an outpatient appointment decreased from 84,167 to 41,604, a reduction of 51% when compared with the same period in 2013. Up to the end of September this year there was a 3% increase in outpatient attendances compared with 2013. That is 64,289 more patients actually seen despite the fact that expenditure in the health service has gone from €16 billion to €13 billion. Although the increased provision and uptake of outpatient appointments is positive that will result in some additional demand for inpatient and day cases. In primary care, waiting times for physiotherapists and occupational therapists has decreased and there has been an improvement in the end of life care and the childhood health surveillance.

Deputy Martin can see where the demand is coming from. In the first nine months of this year, compared with the same period in 2013, the new emergency department attendances were up by 3.5%, and admissions were up 2% including a 13% rise in overnight admissions through the acute medical assessment unit, AMAU, system. Outpatient attendances were up 3.8% as part of the outpatient waiting list initiative, facilitated in part through appointments during additional working hours. That will have an effect on elective waiting lists. These things are never as one would want them to be. I cannot project the numbers for the future, except that the changes to be made following the approval of the HSE plan by the Government this morning will have an impact on the health service in general.

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