Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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909. To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of the apparent 15 to 18-month waiting list for ear, nose and throat appointments his plans to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10497/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As of 28 April 2016, there were 51,028 patients waiting for ENT outpatient appointments. However, 48% of patients on the ENT outpatients waiting list have been waiting less than six months. Only 8.6% of those on the waiting list have been waiting over 15 months.

The Department of Health and the HSE recognise that there are resource availability and structural challenges which impact on individual specialties and hospital sites.

The 2016 HSE Service Plan undertakes to maintaining 2015 levels of service in respect of scheduled care and continues to address waiting times with Hospital Groups as part of the regular performance and accountability process. The HSE has established a Scheduled Care Governance Group to coordinate key initiatives to reduce waiting list numbers. In 2016, the HSE is focussing on key activities including:

- ensuring that chronological scheduling is adhered to;

- putting in place administrative and clinical validation procedures to ensure that patients are available for treatment;

- relocating high-volume low complexity surgeries to smaller hospitals and

- designating an improvement lead for each hospital group, to provide support in meeting national targets for appointment and treatment

As this 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.