Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is okay. I want to acknowledge that this is a huge inconvenience and cause of distress for patients and for their families, in spite of an incredible team in Beaumont Hospital which is really doing everything that it can. They have made every effort to avoid cancellation and postponement, but Beaumont Hospital has been impacted by the operational challenges that Covid brings. Beaumont Hospital has taken actions, including a period of prioritising unscheduled Covid-19 care and urgent time-sensitive work. My Department is working with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, to find ways to improve access to care in Beaumont Hospital. It includes the use of private hospitals, weekend work and evening work in Beaumont Hospital, various see-and-treat services, virtual clinics and various other similar initiatives. At Beaumont Hospital, general surgery, which is probably the most relevant point here, makes up a significant portion of the inpatient and day-case waiting lists. The NTPF has advised that it has approved four inpatient and day-case initiatives for funding so far this year for Beaumont Hospital, including for general surgery. This should help.

The NTPF has also approved 16 outpatient initiatives, again this year. Together, these initiatives will facilitate treatment for approximately 9,000 patients on the waiting list in Beaumont Hospital. I would certainly hope that lady, Fidelle, of whom the Deputy has spoken, either through that or through the issue around the testing, gets the care that she clearly urgently needs.

See this speech in context