Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Reducing long waiting times for hospital treatment is a key priority for the Government. Last January, taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, I directed the HSE to ensure maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatment, or a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, of 18 months by mid-year and 15 months by year end. In February, shortly after the 18 month maximum waiting time was announced, the number of inpatient and day case patients requiring treatment by the end of June to achieve that requirement was 4,995. As of last Friday, 22 May, this number had reduced by about half to 2,693. The HSE, in conjunction with hospital groups, is focused on delivering treatment targets through maximising the use of existing capacity within and across hospital groups in the first instance. However, there are key limiting factors, primarily in terms of theatre nursing staff and consultant manpower in particular specialties. Consequently, it has been determined that up to 1,500 inpatient and day case procedures may need to be outsourced. A notice to tender for the provision of these services was issued on Friday, 15 May by the HSE, with a view to contracting with service providers this week. It is anticipated that the outsourcing of treatment to private facilities will commence shortly and conclude by the end of June. The HSE has advised that the number of inpatient and day case patients waiting over 18 months will have been reduced by 98% between the announcement of the maximum permissible waiting time in January and the end of June.

As regards outpatient appointments, the number at risk of breaching the 18 month maximum waiting time by the end of June has reduced by 7,773 within the past seven weeks. As well as initiatives similar to those for inpatient and day case treatment, regular intensive waiting list validation and additional clinics will be used to further reduce waiting times for outpatient appointments.

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