Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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419. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department and the HSE have estimated the cost of reducing hospital waiting lists below nine weeks; if he has requested that a review of waiting lists be conducted to ensure that the correct dates are entered into the systems; his views on the need for a mother to access information through freedom of information and advocate on her child's behalf for spinal surgery; the protections and advocacy available to those persons who may not be able to access such information on their own files with hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6928/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018.

In December 2016, I granted approval to the NTPF to dedicate €5m to a daycase waiting list initiative with the aim of ensuring that no patient will be waiting more than 18 months for a daycase procedure by 30 June 2017. In excess of 2000 daycases will be managed through this process and outsourcing of treatment will commence shortly.

The HSE has committed to submit to me by 17 February Waiting List Action Plans for 2017 to ensure that no patient is waiting more than 15 months for an inpatient, daycase procedure or outpatient appointment by the end of October 2017. The Plans are being developed in conjunction with, and supported by, the NTPF's proposal for utilisation of the remaining €10m of 2017 funding for patient treatment, which I expect to receive by 24 February.

My Department commissioned the NTPF to lead the development of a new National Inpatient/Daycase Planned Procedure Waiting List Management Protocol. This Protocol will provide guidance to hospitals and hospital group to ensure there is consistent and standardised approach to management.

The role of the Scheduled Care National Audit and Quality Assurance Programme within the NTPF is to ensure that hospitals are returning complete, accurate and validated patient information.

In line with the Health Act 2004 the HSE has implemented a complaints management system with designated Complaints Officers and Review Officers and procedures for the management of complaints.