Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. It is a matter of great concern to me and the Government that approximately 6,000 people in the south east have been waiting several months for laboratory test results. I know that causes great anxiety for patients and runs the risk of delayed diagnoses and poorer outcomes, even though the samples are based on routine tests and are not urgent. While the risk is small, and we want to reassure people of that, it is not negligible. That people should have to wait several months for the result of any test is below the standard of care that we seek to provide.

The hospital group has confirmed that corrective measures have been put in place, and the hospital has confirmed that all urgent samples have been, and continue to be, processed without delay. Corrective actions include the transfer of histopathology samples and reporting to other laboratories, additional histopathology reporting sessions by consultant pathologists in Waterford, the engagement of agency medical scientists and additional sessions by medical scientists in the hospital. Further additional resources are required, though, to meet the demand for the vital regional service. Approval for the recruitment of additional consultant histopathologists has been granted.

The hospital has received considerable increases in resources in recent years. Just in the past two years or so, the number of staff has increased by almost 20% and the hospital's budget has increased by almost 20%. There are now 2,400 full-time equivalent staff in the hospital and the hospital has a budget of €270 million. However, we acknowledge there is still a gap between demand and capacity, and that is why authorisation has been given to appoint new consultants, who are much-needed.

In addition, a serious incident management team, involving both the South/Southwest Hospital Group and the Ireland East Hospital Group, has been established to ensure all available supports are provided to the hospital to manage the backlog. This does involve samples being taken to other laboratories in other hospitals where they can be reported on.

See this speech in context