Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this issue and for giving me the opportunity to update the House on waiting times for orthopaedic services in University Hospital Galway on behalf of Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly.

I sincerely regret that patients can experience a long waiting time for hospital appointments and procedures and I am conscious of the burden this places on them and their families. I also recognise that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the HSE has had to take measures to defer most scheduled care activity in March, April and May of this year. This was done to ensure patient safety was maintained and all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19-related activity and time-critical essential work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, in accordance with the advice of the World Health Organization.

As a result of the significant disruption in scheduled care, hospital waiting lists peaked in May. However, the resumption of services from June onwards has allowed for increased activity. The number of patients awaiting an inpatient or day case procedure dropped by 16% from May to November and the rate of growth of the outpatient waiting list has slowed in recent months. Regarding University Hospital Galway's orthopaedic waiting list, I note that while the number of patients waiting for an outpatient appointment has increased this year, the number of patients waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure has fallen by 7% compared to the same time last year.

Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. Hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols to ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically aligned and prioritised way. The HSE continues to optimise productivity through alternative work practices such the use of alternative settings, including private hospitals, community facilities and alternative outpatient settings. For example, University Hospital Galway has advised my Department that a very successful physiotherapist-led musculoskeletal triage process is in place there. Under this process, patients are first seen by a physiotherapist and are then directed to the most appropriate care pathway. This pathway reduces the number of patients being added to the consultant waiting lists and allows quicker access to services for many patients. University Hospital Galway is examining ways to provide additional access to theatres, including setting up Sunday lists for surgical procedures.

University Hospital Galway has also advised my Department that it has tendered for the construction of a modular theatre facility which will provide two orthopaedic theatres at Merlin Park. The enabling works and the construction tender for this project have been completed and the contractor is to commence construction in January 2021. It is expected that the works will be completed in late 2021. The National Treatment Purchase Fund continues to work with hospital groups, including Saolta University Health Care Group, to support additional activity through insourcing and outsourcing initiatives for inpatient and day case procedures and outpatient appointments. I heard the number the Deputy quoted. Some 6,487 persons on the outpatient waiting list is a huge number. We hope to address it in the coming months.

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