Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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100. To ask the Minister for Health when a plan to tackle outpatient waiting lists will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23503/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Improving waiting times for hospital procedures and outpatient appointments is a key commitment in the Programme for Government. The Outpatient waiting list remains a significant challenge to be addressed in 2018.

The HSE service plan 2018 sets out a target that 80% of patients waiting for a first outpatient appointment will be seen within a 52 week wait timeframe. HSE figures for March 2018 show that nationally hospitals are seeing over 71% of outpatients within 52 weeks, with 19 of the 45 hospitals reaching the target of 80%.

Each year, 3.3 million patients attend Hospital Outpatient clinics for appointments. A number of steps, including a national waiting list validation project by the HSE, are being taken to ensure the lists are accurate and these efforts will intensify in the coming months.

The HSE is working with the NTPF and my Department to finalise a joint plan focused on improving overall use of resources to tackle long patient waiting times and ensuring timely access to treatment and care for our patients. I hope to publish this Plan shortly. As part of this process the NTPF and the HSE are currently reviewing proposals from hospitals for outpatient initiatives.