Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 750: To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for a colonoscopy on 16 July 2012; the number of these persons waiting more than three months for the procedure; the number of these persons waiting more than five months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36378/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 751: To ask the Minister for Health his plans to address the capacity of hospitals to allow them to deliver colonoscopy procedures where there is an increased demand for colonoscopies [36379/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 750 and 751 together.

The Minister has set a target that, by the end of 2012, that no patient should have to wait more than 13 weeks for routine GI endoscopy (that is either a colonoscopy or gastroscopy ) once placed on a hospital daycase waiting list. This is an extremely challenging and ambitious target and in order to support hospitals in reaching this target the SDU has commenced a GI Endoscopy Performance Improvement Programme that encompasses the SDU, National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) and the HSE. The aim in the short term is to eliminate long waiters (those patients waiting greater than 3 months) with the NTPF agreeing programmes of support with individual hospitals that will see the longest waiters having their procedure. This will enable the hospital system to undertake up to 13,000 additional GI endoscopy procedures this year. The medium and long term aim is to ensure clinically appropriate referrals, standardised pathways of care, sustainable short waits, position units to successfully complete JAG accreditation and ultimately achieve better outcomes for patients.

Below are the latest monthly figures for national waiting list data on colonoscopies.

*There were 2,433 cases waiting over 3 months for routine colonoscopy, out of that figure, 942 were waiting over 5 months.