Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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56. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which he continues to monitor the waiting lists throughout the health service with particular reference to specific procedures such as miscellaneous orthopaedic, cardiac, neurological or other procedures; if the utilisation of the treatment purchase scheme can be used to clear backlogs in the first instance thereby facilitating smoothness and efficiency throughout the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23464/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Improving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government and in 2018 €50 million was allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (or NTPF) to provide treatment for patients. The Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan 2018, which was published in April, outlines the combined approach of the HSE and the NTPF in 2018 to reducing the number of patients waiting for treatment.

The Action Plan has been developed to ensure an appropriate balance between high volume activities and offering treatment to complex long waiting patients, with 20,000 additional Inpatient and Daycase procedures to be funded by the NTPF in 2018. For all procedures, NTPF authorisations are made in respect of the longest waiting patients first.

Within this 20,000, for very long waiting patients, including those waiting for more complex procedures such as those referred to by the Deputy, the NTPF is engaging with the HSE and public hospitals to seek solutions and plans to fund the treatment of 1,200 patients in 2018 through this mechanism.

In addition, my Department has placed a particular priority on performance improvement in scheduled and unscheduled care in order to improve access for patients. At the end of 2017, a new Unit was established in my Department with a remit to work with the HSE and the NTPF and provide strategic direction and performance oversight in this area. Ongoing oversight of the performance of the HSE and the NTPF against targets set out in the plan is a key function of this Unit. The NTPF provides a weekly update to my Department on Inpatient, Day case and Outpatient waiting lists and regular review meetings are held with the HSE and the NTPF.