Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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15. To ask the Minister for Health the reasons for the substantial increase in inpatient and day case waiting lists since the start of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40016/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Improving access for patients to inpatient and daycase treatment is a priority for this Government and significant progress was made in 2012 towards maximum waiting time targets. However, 2013 has been very challenging. While waiting list numbers tend to increase in the first few months of any year, the increase in 2013 was much greater than expected, associated with the unusual wintry conditions and increase in emergency admissions.

Hence, the SDU / HSE have put in place a National Intervention Strategy aimed at meeting this year's maximum waiting time targets (eight months for adults awaiting an inpatient or daycase procedure, 20 weeks for children, 13 weeks for anyone awaiting a routine GI endoscopy and 12 months for a first-time outpatient appointment). They have advised that all hospitals have now developed and commenced necessary action plans to achieve the national targets for maximum waiting times this year. It is welcome that the latest available figures show a 2% reduction in the overall number of patients waiting for an inpatient or daycase procedure in August compared with July and a 6% reduction in the number of patients waiting longer than 12 months.