Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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688. To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken to reduce current waiting times for outpatient appointments at Letterkenny University Hospital, County Donegal; if he is aware that there are currently 1,736 patients waiting for a year or more for such appointments at the hospital, 331 of whom have now been waiting for longer than the current maximum permissible waiting time of 15 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1408/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The latest NTPF Waiting List data, which was published on Friday 8 January, shows that clear progress has been made to reduce the numbers of patients on waiting lists by end December 2015. For In-patient and Day Case waiting lists, overall performance equates to 95% achievement of the 15 month maximum permissible wait time. For outpatient waiting lists, overall performance equates to 93% achievement of the 15 month maximum permissible wait time. It should also be noted that a number of patients who have not yet had appointments have been scheduled for treatments or appointments in the coming weeks.

My Department and the HSE recognise that there are personnel and structural challenges which impact on individual specialties and hospital sites. Therefore, it is vital to effectively manage waiting lists so that those patients waiting longest are scheduled within the available capacity, once emergency and urgent cases have been dealt with. The HSE has been addressing the maximum waiting times with Hospital Groups as part of the regular performance and accountability process.

As the specific question asked by the Deputy is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.