Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising the issue which has been raised on many occasions, including during my recent visit to Waterford.

Improving waiting lists for scheduled care is a key priority for the Government.Under Future Health, significant structural changes are envisaged for the acute hospital sector, with the formation of hospital groups and the reorganisation of services to improve both quality and access. These structural changes are under way but will take some time to fully implement. In the meantime, operating pressures remain on acute hospitals. The House will be aware that an additional €74 million was announced earlier this month to tackle delayed discharges and emergency department overcrowding. This was on top of additional funding of €25 million provided at the start of the year and an additional €3 million provided in late 2014.

As regards waiting lists, I understand the HSE has put in place specific measures to address waiting times. These measures include observation of the national waiting list protocol, adherence to the relevant HSE national clinical programme guidelines and prioritising day of surgery admission, where this clinically appropriate.

I note that the special delivery unit indicates that there is still significant potential to improve performance in hospitals. It is important, therefore, that hospital performance is closely monitored. The House will recall that a revised accountability framework for the HSE was published as part of the 2015 service plan. The framework requires a formal performance management framework for hospitals to include access, quality, outcomes and financial performance. I am assured that waiting list performance will be assessed within the revised framework.

It is also important that we know the true extent of the waiting lists to facilitate better planning and management. In that regard, an exercise to validate inpatient waiting lists to establish more precise information on the volume of people awaiting care has commenced. In addition, the HSE has started to publish waiting lists at consultant and specialty level; therefore, it will be clear to all where the bottlenecks are.

Taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, the Minister for Health has put in place a target that by mid-year nobody will wait more than 18 months for inpatient and day case treatment or an outpatient appointment. By the end of the year the target will be revised to a waiting time of no more than 15 months. The HSE is working on an implementation plan to achieve these targets.

I understand University Hospital Waterford has worked on a local plan to tackle its waiting lists which is being considered within the south-south west hospital group.

With regard to consultant appointments, I am advised that two consultant urologists are expected to take up posts in the coming months and that progress is being made in the recruitment of two consultant dermatologists. The hospital is also in the process of recruiting a temporary part-time ENT consultant to assist with the management of the waiting list.

The Minister has confirmed that his Department will continue to work with the HSE to ensure issues relating to hospital waiting lists are addressed.