Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

386. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to expand orthopaedic services in the north east with particular reference to the delays experienced by patients in counties Cavan and Monaghan in accessing services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40931/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This Government is committed to improving waiting times for patients. While recognising that demand for acute hospital services has increased this year with a 4% increase in inpatient and day case activity nationally to end October compared with the same period last year, the important issue for patients is how long they wait.

In August, I asked the HSE to develop a Waiting List Action Plan for 2016 to reduce by year end the number of patients waiting over 18 months on the Inpatient Daycase Waiting List. Since then, approximately 8,000 patients have come off the waiting list nationally. Additional funding of €11.25m has been allocated under the Winter Initiative in order to support patient treatment under this Action Plan. Of this, €7 million has been allocated to a targeted waiting list programme for Orthopaedics and Scoliosis with over 600 patients benefiting. Already 570 orthopaedic and scoliosis patients have been treated or are scheduled for treatment through this initiative.

Budget 2017 provides for the treatment of our longest-waiting patients. €20m is being allocated to the NTPF in 2017, rising to €55m in 2018.

Approval has been granted to the NTPF on the basis of a proposal which outlines the use of the first tranche of funding, in the region of €5m, for an initiative focusing on daycase procedures. The NTPF and HSE are currently engaging regarding a proposal for the use of the remaining €10m. Certain specialties will be considered in this context, including orthopaedics.