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

Improving waiting times for scheduled care is a key priority for Government. In January, I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatments and outpatient appointments of 18 months by mid-year and 15 months by the end of the year. As of 30 June, the HSE is reporting a 99.6% achievement against the maximum permissible waiting time for inpatient and day-case treatment and a 96% achievement against the maximum permissible waiting time for outpatient appointments.

In respect of orthopaedic services in the north east, a national initiative was introduced in 2013 which provides physiotherapy triage of patients on orthopaedic OPD waiting lists. As a result, approximately 40% of patients are getting earlier intervention. The national trauma programme is also looking at orthopaedic services nationally to determine recommendations for managing both trauma and elective workloads.

Our Lady’s Hospital Navan and Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital provide the majority of inpatient and day-case elective care for the north east. Navan Hospital is close to maintaining a six-month inpatient and day-case access time, which is relatively good. Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital has received an additional allocation of €3.8 million this year. Consequently, activity in 2015 has exceeded 2014 levels and will continue to improve month-on-month to the end of the year. This has resulted in a gradual reduction in access times. Both hospitals have met the current maximum permissible waiting time of 18 months at the end of June 2015 and anticipate that they will be compliant with the 15-month maximum permissible waiting time by the end of this year.

See this speech in context