Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. As he probably knows, I am due to visit Waterford hospital shortly and I look forward to discussing the issues with health care professionals in the hospital. A key challenge for our health system is to ensure patients have timely access to health services in light of increasing demand. This is why we have to put a sustained focus on improving waiting times, especially for those waiting the longest, as I just discussed with Deputy O'Reilly. The key issue is how long they wait. People appear on waiting lists, but it is when they are on waiting lists for too long that we have a problem. According to the September waiting list data published by the NTPF, 85% of patients on the inpatient or day case waiting list for University Hospital Waterford are waiting less than 15 months. I am not saying it is good enough.

Over the period 2013 to 2015, inpatient activity increased by over 11%, from 20,042 to 22,315. This is a contributing factor. The July HSE management data report points to a 4% increase in inpatient discharges and a 10% increase in day cases compared with the same period in 2015. My Department works closely with the HSE and the NTPF to implement measures to reduce waiting times. At my request, in August, the HSE developed an action plan to reduce, by year end, the number of patients currently waiting 18 months or more, and then we go on proceeding with the NTPF, trying to drive down waiting lists throughout 2017. The endoscopy waiting list initiative started this year, and the NTPF will work with public hospitals, including University Hospital Waterford, to ensure the hospitals validate their waiting lists, identify patients who will be continue to be treated by the public hospital, and identify those patients who will be offered outsourcing of their procedure to a private hospital.

I should also mention that €7 million of the winter initiative funding is to be utilised to fund a targeted waiting list programme for patients waiting for orthopaedic, spinal and scoliosis procedures. As part of the winter initiative, an additional five home care packages per week will be funded to support timely discharge from University Hospital Waterford. The hospital will also provide 15 additional surge capacity beds, and two complex delayed discharge cases will be transferred from the hospital by the end of the winter initiative reporting period. I accept the issue and will have it examined by the HSE.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The 2017 budget provides for the treatment of our longest waiting patients and allocates €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018. Planning of this initiative is at an advanced stage by the NTPF, my Department and the HSE.

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