Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris. I have been asked to take the Commencement matter on his behalf. However, I am a woman and given that I have five children and have been obliged many times to go to accident and emergency units for gynaecology, I understand. I know how important it is to have a service up and running.

On behalf of the Minister, I thank Senators Colm Burke and Kelleher for raising the issue. I fully recognise the need to ensure patients have timely access to health services. The Department works closely with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, to implement measures to reduce waiting times. At the Minister's request, the HSE developed an action plan to reduce, by year end, the number of patients waiting 18 months or more for an inpatient or day case procedure.

It is important that the number of patients who are waiting to be seen or treated is considered in the context of the total numbers of patients actually seen and treated. Every year, there are more than 3.2 million outpatient attendances at our hospitals, 94,000 patients have an elective inpatient procedure and 1 million patients have a planned day case procedure. The budget for 2017 provides evidence of the Government’s commitment to a sustained focus on improving waiting times, particularly for those waiting longest. The Government has allocated €20 million to the NTPF for the treatment of our longest-waiting patients. This will be increased to €55 million in 2018.

I am aware there is a difficulty with waiting times for gynaecology services in Cork University Hospital. The south-south west hospital group has confirmed its commitment to obstetrics and gynaecology services as demonstrated by the establishment of a group clinical directorate for these services. The HSE has also advised that Cork University Hospital is undertaking a number of initiatives to address both inpatient and outpatient waiting times for gynaecology services. This includes additional evening outpatient review clinics, which are led by a member of the consultant gynaecology team. The hospital has recently appointed a gynaecology sonographer, who will lead an ultrasound service in liaison with the consultant gynaecology team. With the additional scheduled consultant-led evening sessions, the hospital management anticipates that the gynaecology ultrasound waiting list will be cleared by December 2016. My Department has been assured that to address the current difficulties, the hospital will maximise the use of existing theatre and other gynaecology resources within the hospital, as well as those in other hospitals across the south-south west hospital group.

In line with the national maternity strategy, a national women and infants health programme is being established within the HSE to lead the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services. The programme will drive implementation of the national maternity strategy and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality care. Noting that the international trend in gynaecology service provision is moving towards more day-case services and the provision of community one-stop shop type facilities, it is intended that the programme will drive much-needed reform of gynaecology services. This will include the potential to adopt a multidisciplinary approach and move some service delivery to community settings. Work to establish the programme is ongoing.