Written answers

Thursday, 28 September 2017

Department of Health

Maternity Services

Photo of Aindrias MoynihanAindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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79. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he will take to reduce waiting times for persons waiting for gynaecological services in Cork University Maternity Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40897/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long, including for gynaecology services at Cork University Maternity Hospital, and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families. 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 order to reduce the numbers of long-waiting patients, I asked the HSE to develop Waiting List Action Plans for 2017 in the areas of Inpatient/Daycase, Scoliosis and Outpatient Services. The Inpatient/Daycase Action Plan is being delivered through a combination of normal hospital activity, as well as insourcing and outsourcing initiatives utilising NTPF funding. Under the Inpatient/Daycase Plan, since early February, over 23,800 patients have come off the Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List, including at Cork University Maternity Hospital.

The NTPF has advised that to date 5,901 patients have been authorised for treatment in private hospitals under its Initiatives, 2,235 patients have accepted an offer of treatment in a private hospital and that 1,112 patients have received their procedure. The NTPF has also indicated that 2,841 patients have been authorised for treatment in public hospitals under the Plan’s insourcing initiatives, 910 offers of treatment have been accepted and 285 patients have been treated. Under the Outpatient Plan, since early February, more than 84,200 patients have come off the Outpatient Waiting List .

In relation to Cork University Maternity Hospital specifically, the South/South West Hospital Group (SSWHG) has developed a phased approach to improve waiting times for gynaecology services there. This includes the establishment of the SSWHG Women and Children Services Directorate earlier this year, which, I expect, will ensure better coordination and utilisation of maternity gynaecological resources across the group.

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