Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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83. To ask the Minister for Health the way he proposes to reduce waiting times for outpatients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36537/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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At the end of December 2013, 98% or 295,815 patients were waiting less than 52 weeks for an outpatient appointment. This was achieved by year-long intervention with a special funded focus from September to December which included outsourcing of patients determined to be suitable for such assessment. Currently 89% are waiting less than one year for access to outpatients.

There has been a 13% increase in referrals to outpatients from January to July in 2014 versus the same period in 2013. As a result, there has been an increase in outpatient activity overall, This includes an increase in new activity from January to July 2014 of 8.9% (an extra 43,225 new patients) compared with the same period 2013. There has also been a 12.6% increase in review activity in that time (an extra 153,209 patients). The total additional patients seen year to date, compared to same period last year, has been 196,434.

In addition, almost half a million patients failed to attend for a scheduled appointment in 2013. Embedding the Outpatient Performance Improvement Programme best practice processes in acute hospitals has shown a marked improvement in ‘Did Not Attends’ or DNAs. Figures for January to July 2014 show DNA rates falling from 15% to 13%. This improvement allowed significant added productivity in terms of capacity and capability management of outpatient clinic sessions.

Patients waiting over one year are concentrated in a small number of specialties namely, orthopaedics, ENT, ophthalmology, dermatology, general surgery, neurology and urology. The HSE is addressing capacity and capability issues in these specialties and is exploring the potential to see patients on a group basis to utilise any unused capacity where available. A number of other initiatives are also under way to provide alternative pathways of care that will ensure quicker access for patients to a broader range of health professionals.