Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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404. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons on the inpatient and outpatient list for gynaecological procedures in CUMH; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23345/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The waiting list data from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) for the end of April 2018 indicates that there were 410 people waiting for Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) gynaecology inpatient services, compared with 479 waiting in April 2017. In April 2018, 54% of patients were waiting for less than 6 months, and 80% were waiting for less than 12 months.

The outpatient waiting list data for April indicates there were 3,629 people waiting for gynaecology services, compared with 4,667 in April 2017. In April 2018, 42% were waiting for less than 6 months, 72% were waiting less than 12 months.

In recent years, CUMH has received funding to invest in the improvement in its Gynaecology Services. The South/South West Hospital Group (SSWHG) committed an additional €700,000 to the service for 2017 to provide increased theatre capacity and staffing resources to deliver improved waiting times for inpatient/daycase treatment and outpatient appointments.  An additional €0.4m in funding has also been allocated by SSWHG for CUMH gynaecology services in 2018.

More broadly, the Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan 2018 which was published in April outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018 to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment. Under the Plan, the HSE will deliver 1.14 million hospital procedures. The NTPF will deliver 20,000 Inpatient Day Case treatments through both outsourcing and HSE insourcing. As outlined in the Plan, the NTPF and the HSE will invite proposals from hospitals for waiting list initiatives. The NTPF will provide funding to the solutions proposed if appropriate. 

In January 2017, a National Women & Infants Health Programme was established within the HSE to lead the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services. In addition, the SSWHG has developed a phased approach to improve waiting times for gynaecology services at CUMH.  This includes the establishment of the SSWHG Women and Children Services Directorate last year, which, I expect, will ensure better coordination and utilisation of maternity gynaecological resources across the group.