Written answers

Thursday, 22 October 2015

Department of Health

Hospital Appointment Delays

Photo of Joan CollinsJoan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

16. To ask the Minister for Health given that on 13 May 2015 this Deputy received a reply further to Parliamentary Question No. 377 of 6 May 2015, and was informed by University Hospital Galway that from 21 January 2015 to 13 May 2015 one scoliosis patient out of nine had undergone surgery, and given that this Deputy was informed that significant progress is being made in relation to ensuring the required resources are in place in the context of bed availability, access to diagnostics, purchase of special spinal equipment and access to theatre, the reason a person (details supplied) who is on the list since July 2014 is still waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36653/15]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In January, taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatment and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by year end. In June, the HSE reported a performance against the 18 month maximum waiting time of 99.6% for in-patient/day cases and 92% for out-patients.

The HSE was provided with additional funding of €51m to ensure that these maximum waiting times would be achieved. The funding provided is intended to maximise capacity across public and voluntary hospitals as well as outsourcing activity where the capacity is not available to meet patient needs within the maximum allowable waiting time.

It is recognised that issues of capacity and complexity adversely impact a small number of specialties, including spinal surgery for scoliosis. I have been assured that the waiting list for such surgery is a high priority for the Saolta Healthcare Group, and that Galway University Hospital is working to ensure that the necessary resources and arrangements are in place in order to address the needs of patients with scoliosis. These include appropriate bed availability, access to diagnostics, purchase of specialist spinal equipment and access to theatre. Within the last two months, two Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons have been appointed at Galway University Hospital to support this service. In the short term the hospital is planning to assign 5 dedicated beds to support this service and when the new ward block is completed, this will increase to 8 dedicated beds.

Saolta Healthcare Group has informed my Department that they have treated 3 scoliosis patients since May of this year and that the patient in question remains on the waiting list which currently comprises thirteen patients. The scheduling of appointments for individual patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred taking into account the length of time the patient has been on the waiting list and clinical prioritisation within the resources available.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.