Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:

“Maximum waiting time targets

2. (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4), the Minister for Health shall, in relation to the performance by the Executive of its functions under section 1, specify—

(a) priorities to which the Executive shall have regard to in relation to maximum waiting times, and

(b) maximum waiting time performance targets for the Executive in respect of provision of each of the following:

(i) in-patient services;

(ii) out-patient services;

(iii) planned procedures;

(iv) diagnostic testing.

(2) The Minister shall consult with the Executive before specifying priorities or performance targets under this section and, having so specified such priorities or targets, furnish details of these in writing to the Executive and the National Treatment Purchase Fund Board.

(3) Before specifying priorities or performance targets under this section, the Minister shall have regard to—

(a) the Committee on the Future of Healthcare Sláintecare report published in May 2017 and any revision or replacement duly made to the report by any subsequent report,

(b) best practice as respects maximum waiting times,

(c) outcomes for patients and recipients of health and personal social services likely to be affected by the priority or performance target that the Minister is considering specifying, and

(d) the effect that specifying the priority or performance target concerned would be likely to have on other services provided by or on behalf of the Executive.

(4) In this section, “maximum waiting time performance targets” means, as respects priorities specified under subsection (1), levels of performance by the Executive by which the effectiveness of the Executive in meeting such priorities can be measured by the Minister and the National Treatment Purchase Fund Board.”.