Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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1042. To ask the Minister for Health the number of cardiothoracic surgeries on the elective waiting lists that have been cancelled in 2016 and to date in 2017; the number of these surgeries that have been cancelled as a result of the lack of intensive care or ward beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37641/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Cancellation of elective procedures can occur for a variety of exceptional reasons including cancellations because a bed or the clinical team are not available, cancellations by the patient or because the patient may not be fit for surgery at the time.

Maintaining scheduled care access for all patients and managing emergency demand at times is challenging, however all efforts are made to limit cancellations particularly for clinically urgent procedures.

In response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.