Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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120. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the practice of the dermatology department of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda requesting persons to reply by return of post to queries (details supplied) within seven days or be taken off the appointment waiting list [23997/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Good practice around the management of hospital waiting lists recommends periodic validation processes and in this context, the NTPF National Inpatient/Daycase Planned Procedure Waiting List Management Protocol sets out the national protocols for the management of waiting lists including validation and clinical suspensions.

In addition, I have asked the NTPF to put in place a standardised approach to validation of waiting lists across all hospitals.

The purpose of Validation is to:

- Maintain hospital-patient communication during the patient’s waiting list journey;

- Update the patient record;

- Reduce the rate of patient non-attendance and/or patient cancellations; and

- Provide clean, accurate, up to date waiting list data which reflects the true demand for hospital services.

Administrative validation is the process whereby hospital administration contacts patients on inpatient and day case waiting lists at pre-planned intervals during the year to ensure that patients are ready, willing, suitable and available to attend a hospital appointment or wish to be removed. When a patient is removed from a waiting list due to non-response to a written validation cycle, notification must be sent to the referring clinician and the patient. A copy should also be placed in the patient’s Health Care Record (HCR). If requested by the GP/referring clinician, patients can be reinstated back to their original place on to the Waiting List.

In addition, clinical validation is the process whereby the Clinician or delegate clinical team member conducts a review of the patients healthcare records and/or medical notes for patients on inpatient, day case and planned procedure waiting lists in excess of six months. Where there is a requirement for clinical validation, patients are contacted by phone by the clinician or delegate as part of a virtual clinic. These reviews are carried out at pre-planned intervals during the year.

In respect of the particular issue raised, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.