Written answers

Tuesday, 9 October 2012

Department of Health

Hospital Waiting Lists

Photo of Tom FlemingTom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will examine a document (details supplied) in respect of reforming and saving costs in the Health Service Executive and social services; his views on this document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42932/12]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Department has received the correspondence referred to by the Deputy. It has been duly noted and I am pleased to observe that a significant number of the suggestions raised in the correspondence are already in operation on hospital sites.

I am determined to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients receiving treatment in our hospitals. In this regard I have established the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), which will work to unblock access to acute services by dramatically improving the flow of patients through the system, and by streamlining waiting lists, including referrals from GPs. The SDU is working closely with its partner agencies - mainly the HSE and the NTPF.

As a priority, public hospitals were instructed to ensure that, by the end of 2011, they had no patients waiting more than 12 months for treatment. I can confirm that the vast majority of hospitals achieved this objective. During 2012 the SDU is continuing to support hospitals in the delivery of a 9 month maximum wait time for inpatient or daycase surgery.

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