Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Health the actions taken to reduce waiting times for children awaiting in-patient and day care surgery; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7541/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In July 2011, I announced the establishment of the Special Delivery Unit as a key part of my plans to radically reform the health system in Ireland. The Unit’s purpose is to improve access to the emergency and elective care system. Since it was established last year, it has been working to unblock public access to acute services by improving patient journeys through the system and by streamlining public hospital waiting lists. I am pleased to be able to say that very significant progress has been made by the SDU in relation to scheduled care waiting times.

The initial focus for the SDU's Scheduled Care Team has been on waiting times for in-patient and daycase elective surgery. For children, the target in 2012 was that no child should be waiting longer than 20 weeks for inpatient or daycase surgery. At the end of 2012, the number of children waiting over 20 weeks for inpatient or daycase surgery was down to 89 from 1,759 in December 2011, a 95% decrease. The 89 children waiting over 20 weeks can be attributed to two hospitals, with the remainder achieving the 20 week target.

While maintaining this progress will of course be challenging, the significant improvement in access is being achieved despite the economic and budgetary pressures which must be dealt with and managed. The progress made reflects my commitment, and that of this Government, to ensuring patients can access the acute hospital services they need, when they need them.