Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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24. To ask the Minister for Health the proposals he has to increase orthopaedic surgery capacity in the north east, given the numbers waiting for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27577/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Improving waiting lists for scheduled care is a key priority for Government. In January, I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatments and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by year end.

An initial assessment by the HSE indicated that 4,995 patients would require inpatient or day case treatment by the end of June 2015. The HSE has advised that 4,976 of these patients have received treatment, leaving just 19 waiting for longer than 18 months and equating to 99.6% achievement of the 18 month maximum permissible wait time. The HSE has also advised that for outpatients, the initial assessment was that 50,490 patients would need OPD appointments by the end of June 2015 and that as of 30 June 2015, this has reduced to 1,988 patients, equating to 96% achievement against the maximum permissible waiting time.

In respect of orthopaedic services in the North East, a national initiative was introduced in 2013 which provides physiotherapy triage of patients on orthopaedic OPD waiting lists. As a result approximately 40% of patients are getting earlier intervention. The National Trauma Programme is also looking at orthopaedic services nationally to determine recommendations for managing both trauma and elective workloads.

Our Lady’s Hospital Navan and Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital provide the majority of in-patient and day case elective care for the North East. Navan Hospital is close to maintaining a 6 month in-patient and day case access time. Cappagh National Orthopaedic has received an additional allocation of €3.8 million in 2015. Consequently activity in 2015 has exceeded 2014 levels and will continue to improve month on month to year end. This has resulted in a gradual reduction in access times.

Both hospitals have met the current maximum permissible waiting time of 18 months at end June 2015 and anticipate they will be compliant with the 15 month waiting time to be achieved by the end of this year.