Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for introducing the question. I have been made aware by him that the number of patients waiting over a year for an outpatient appointment in Cork University Hospital has increased since the end of last year. However, these increases must be seen in the context of the overall increased demand for care and increased overall activity and productivity in our health system. In fact, it was brought to my attention only today that 13,500 more elective surgeries have been carried out in the Irish health system this year than was the case last year, so we are seeing increased demand, increased activity and more procedures. Nonetheless, it is a key challenge for us to ensure timely access to health services and I am assured by the hospital group that those patients whose clinical needs are most urgent are prioritised.

The Deputy will be aware that improving waiting times for scheduled care is a priority for the HSE, my Department and, indeed, for the whole of Government, as I outlined to the Deputy's colleague. A Programme for a Partnership Government recognises the need for a sustained commitment to improving waiting times, with a particular focus on those waiting longest. To that end, it commits to €15 million in funding for the NTPF for an initiative targeted at those waiting longest as part of a continued investment of €50 million per year to reduce waiting lists.

I believe the policy of effectively deactivating the NTPF was a mistake.

We are beginning to see the consequences of this in terms of not having a ready made vehicle that can intervene in some of the particularly difficult situations highlighted by Deputy Moynihan. This is why we need to get it back up and running and the Deputy's party and my party agree on this.

The HSE has established a scheduled care governance group to co-ordinate key initiatives to reduce waiting times and the number of patients awaiting treatment. The Department is engaging with the HSE on the development of an action plan, asking each hospital what more it can do to address waiting times, to be rolled out over the reminder of 2016. I am conscious of the fact that for the first time in years the director general of the HSE has stated he has enough funding to deliver the service plan in front of him. Hospitals will be instructed to develop and implement process improvement plans, focusing on improving chronological scheduling, clerical and administrative validation of waiting lists and the optimisation of existing capacity. I expect this targeted approach, as well as the additional funding we now have available, will be of help to CUH in addressing the current backlogs.

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