Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Health the action that will be taken to reduce the waiting times for outpatients in the west seeking an outpatient rheumatology appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27580/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has advised that due to consultant staff shortages, a number of rheumatology outpatient clinics in GUH are being postponed during the months of July and August 2015. New appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible and urgent patients will continue to be seen.

There are currently 3 consultants in Galway University Hospital, covering OPD clinics, a day ward service in Merlin Park as well as emergency medical intake and a consult service at University Hospital Galway. A Locum Consultant will take up post in September 2015 and an extra Consultant for GUH will take up post in October 2015. An additional Registrar is being assigned to Rheumatology and will commence in July 2015. From 1 October 2015, there will be 4 Consultant Rheumatologists at GUH. There is approval to appoint a third consultant, to be based in Manorhamilton. This consultant will also provide services for patients in Mayo General Hospital Castlebar and the recruitment process for this post has commenced.

The HSE has advised that 38 acute consultant posts were filled in 2014 in HSE hospitals and there have been 36 filled so far in 2015. Ongoing recruitment of 193 consultant posts is in progress and this is carried out in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service. There are some specialties in which there are international shortages and which have been traditionally difficult to fill, regardless of the salary scale. The establishment of hospital groups will help to address shortages, as this will allow doctors to be appointed as group resources - instead of to just one hospital.