Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Improving waiting times for hospital treatment is a key commitment in the programme for Government. In 2018, €50 million was allocated to the national treatment purchase fund, NTPF, to provide treatment for patients. In recent weeks, I published the inpatient/day case action plan which outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018. It projects a reduction in the number of patients waiting for treatment to below 70,000 by year end, from a peak of 86,100 in July 2017. To achieve this the NTPF will arrange treatment for 20,000 patients, while the HSE will deliver 1.14 million inpatient or day case procedures.

Orthopaedic procedures are a key focus and the action plan places a particular emphasis on hip and knee replacements, with €10 million of the €55 million budget allocated by the NTPF for such procedures. This means that all patients waiting over nine months for a hip or knee replacement in 2018, if clinically suitable for treatment in alternative private or public hospitals, will be offered treatment this year. The NTPF will also offer treatment to a range of other patients awaiting orthopaedic treatments in 2018.

 While the improvements set out in the plan are significant, I am committed to building on this progress in 2019 and to further reduce waiting time for Irish patients.

Any patient waiting in Cork or anywhere else for a hip or knee operation for nine months or longer will get an offer of surgery this year once it is clinically appropriate.

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