Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Brassil for raising this important matter with me. He has brought it to my attention personally as well. As I have said to some of the Deputy's colleagues, a key challenge for the health services is to continue to ensure timely access to them while at the same time recognising that there is a constant increased demand on them. In that regard, I have been assured that the HSE seeks to ensure that those whose clinical needs are most urgent are prioritised accordingly, while the needs of others are assessed in terms of those waiting the longest. Therefore, in the case referred to by the Deputy of an 84 year old gentleman, people should be able to look at that situation locally and clinically and see the importance of that procedure.

Improved waiting times for planned or scheduled care for all patients is a key priority for the HSE, my Department and the Government, and I will not repeat what I have said to some of the Deputy's colleagues already regarding our plans to reactivate the NTPF and to put additional resources into dedicated waiting list initiatives, involving a minimum of €50 million in the budget due to be delivered in October. Only this week my officials have been meeting with the NTPF and the HSE to draw up terms of reference to make sure that we are ready to roll out the programme as quickly as possible, once budget 2017 has been implemented.

On the Deputy's query regarding the position in County Kerry, while 155 patients with addresses in County Kerry are awaiting cataract procedures, the waiting list has decreased by 20% in the past 12 months. I am also informed that the South-South West Hospitals Group is developing a single ophthalmology service operating on two sites, to which the Deputy alluded, at University Hospital Waterford and the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork. To particularly try to assist patients from County Kerry, the group is also exploring the introduction of an imaging system to enhance and streamline ophthalmology services for patients seen in County Kerry. I will ask the relevant officials to investigate the specific case if the Deputy will provide me with the details. Although there has been a reduction in the waiting list of approximately 20%, I accept that there is much more to be done.

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