Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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421. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a programme (details supplied), which showed a number of children in severe pain due to waiting lists for surgeries; the immediate action he is going to take to address waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6930/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The personal stories of people waiting for treatment included in the RTE programme 'Living on the List' are deeply moving and the experiences they describe are absolutely inexcusable.

Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. In 2016, I made over €11m of 2016 Winter Initiative funding available to provide additional patient treatment in 2016. Specifically, €2m of the funding was made available for surgery for scoliosis patients. The Children's Hospital Group has advised me that, in 2016, over fifty additional patients were treated under this initiative.

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.

On 7th February a number of actions in relation to scoliosis were announced. Additional theatre capacity will be provided for scoliosis procedures in Crumlin Children's Hospital from April. An orthopaedic post in Crumlin will be filled by June and an Action Plan for Scoliosis will be presented to me by the HSE by the end of February.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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422. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children here with scoliosis who have been waiting for surgery for between three months and six months, six months and nine months, nine months and 12 months, 12 months and 18 months and more than 18 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6932/17]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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423. To ask the Minister for Health the number of surgeries for scoliosis taking place each week in hospitals around the country in 2016 and to date in 2017 indicating the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6933/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 422 and 423 together.

Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery have to be addressed, and the Department has been working closely with the HSE to address services pressures, particularly in Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, which is the largest provider of scoliosis surgery for children and young people.

Additional funding has been provided in recent years to develop the paediatric orthopaedic services, including scoliosis services. €2m was made available under the Winter Initiative Funding in 2016 and over fifty additional patients have been treated to date under this initiative. As a result of investment, we made some progress but there is much more to do to provide the level service that is needed.

I recently met with the CEO of the Children’s Hospital Group and of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin (OLCHC) to discuss immediate action that can be taken to reduce waiting times for children and adolescents with scoliosis.

While the new theatre in OLCHC was commissioned in 2016, it is only now being used for scoliosis surgery due to challenges with recruiting nurses. The hospital has undertaken an aggressive recruitment drive to attract new theatre nurses with the necessary paediatric training. As a result four new nurses will be in place by April. A further 16 international nurses have been offered posts, and have commenced the registration process. The recruitment of these nurses means that the new theatre will be used to provide the additional capacity for scoliosis procedures in OLCHC from April. This will allow an additional day of procedures to be carried out in the medium term. I am advised by OLCHC that an orthopaedic surgeon post in the hospital will also be filled by June. This means that from July, the hospital expects that the theatre use will be further increased. In addition I will receive an Action Plan for Scoliosis from the HSE by the end of February which will take on board the concerns of the advocacy groups.

In relation to the specific issue raised by the Deputy regarding the waiting list and waiting times for children for scoliosis surgery and activity levels in hospital across the country, as this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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424. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the assessment his Department is making of the use of resources by the HSE; the areas that are creating waiting lists of over six months for surgery; the steps he is taking along with the director general of the HSE to immediately remedy and reduce these waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6934/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Department oversees and monitors the HSE's implementation of its Performance Accountability Framework and monitors implementation of the HSE corporate plan and annual National Service Plans.

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.

The NTPF publishes waiting list data by speciality, hospital and hospital group each month. This data can be viewed on its website at NTPF.ie.