Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

158. To ask the Minister for Health the measures being taken to address the long waiting times for an outpatient appointment at University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42998/15]

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

The University of Limerick Hospitals Group is committed to reducing waiting times for out-patient appointments, not only in University Hospital Limerick, but across the Hospital Group. An Outpatient Lead has been appointed to oversee the management of the waiting list, and improvements in waiting time performance are being achieved.

The Group achieved the maximum permissible waiting time of 18 months by 30 June 2015, and is on target to achieve the maximum permissible waiting time for an outpatient appointment of 15 months by year end. To this end, a series of measures are being put in place. Firstly, waiting lists have been validated to ensure accuracy. In addition, an exercise is underway to ensure that all appointment slots are being used appropriately, and contact is made with patients in advance of their appointment in an effort to minimise the number of people who do not attend. 

Specialties have been identified where additional measures are required to achieve waiting time improvement. In specialties such as ENT and Orthopaedics, arrangements are in place to refer patients, as appropriate, to private facilities. Additional clinics have been put in place across the Group in certain specialties such as Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics and Neurology. A locum Consultant Neurologist has been employed for 2 weeks to facilitate additional clinics in that specialty.

Looking ahead, the University of Limerick Hospitals Group is centralising the process for the management of all new outpatient referrals. Work to streamline the service and deliver on shorter patient wait times, is already well underway, and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2016.