David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 173: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of persons who are waiting for an initial consultation with orthopaedic consultants to be placed on the public waiting list for hip replacement surgery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38983/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The monitoring of out-patient waiting lists relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

I asked the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, to examine the needs of patients waiting longest on out-patient waiting lists. As a result, the NTPF set up a number of pilot projects throughout the country. The intention is that those waiting longest for a number of specialties will receive consultations at out-patient level in private hospitals. It is envisaged that approximately 4,000 to 5,000 patients will have out-patient appointments arranged for them. Monitoring and evaluation arrangements will be put in place by the NTPF to assess the outcome of the out-patient pilot projects. I understand that the pilot projects are under way and I expect to receive a report from the NTPF in due course.