Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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328. To ask the Minister for Health the most commonly identified causes for delays on long waiting lists for elective patients referred by general practitioners to consultants; the extent to which the most readily identified causes have been discovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31195/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Improving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government. Investing in additional capacity, including beds and theatre space; the progression of recruitment and retention of staff; the delivery of the NDP project including dedicated elective only hospitals and the ambitious reform agenda in the SláinteCare Report will improve waiting times and access for patients.

As Minister for Health, I am committed to continuing the efforts to address the capacity of the hospital system and in particular its ability to respond during periods of peak demand. In this context, I have asked my Department to work with the HSE to identify the location and mix of beds across the hospital system, which can be opened and staffed this year and into 2019 in order to improve preparedness for Winter 2018/2019.

In recent years, public acute hospital inpatient/daycase activity has increased on a year-on-year basis. In 2016, there was a 2% increase in inpatient/day-case activity over 2015, with almost 1.14 million patients receiving treatment in public hospitals, an increase of almost 40,000 on the previous year. This year, the HSE will deliver 1.14 million hospital operations or procedures and treat 3.3 million outpatients and the NTPF will fund 22,000 Inpatient/Daycase treatments.

Waiting list data for the past three years shows that the highest waiting lists have been across the specialties of orthopaedics, ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (ENT). In this context, the Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan 2018 outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018 and includes a particular focus on those specialties with high waiting lists. Under the Plan, the NTPF has committed to providing 5,000 cataracts, 800 hip/knee replacements, 1,200 tonsillectomies.

In addition my Department will continue to work with the HSE and the NTPF to identify sustainable initiatives to improve waiting times. Last year funding was allocated to provide additional capacity at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital as a result of such initiatives and a cataract theatre is now operational three days per week. This year, in line with the Action Plan, the HSE is planning to open a dedicated Cataract theatre in Nenagh Hospital later this month.

More broadly, 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 colleagues, HSE and NTPF to provide strategic direction and drive a whole-of-Department approach to performance oversight and innovation in this area. The monitoring of waiting lists is a key activity of this Unit. While the development of an integrated waiting list solution, tailored specifically to meet the needs of our health system, is also being advanced this year.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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329. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for long hospital waiting lists in respect of the most acutely affected procedures; if bed shortages, theatre availability, staff availability, delays in accessing various tests or other contributory factors have been identified as central to the accumulation of waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31196/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Improving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government. Investing in additional capacity, including beds and theatre space; the progression of recruitment and retention of staff; the delivery of the NDP project including dedicated elective only hospitals and the ambitious reform agenda in the SláinteCare Report will improve waiting times and access for patients.

As Minister for Health, I am committed to continuing the efforts to address the capacity of the hospital system and in particular its ability to respond during periods of peak demand. In this context, I have asked my Department to work with the HSE to identify the location and mix of beds across the hospital system, which can be opened and staffed this year and into 2019 in order to improve preparedness for Winter 2018/2019.

A submission received from the HSE in this regard is currently under consideration by my Department. I can confirm that this proposal includes both new beds which incur capital costs and new beds within existing space which have little or no capital cost requirement.

There are also a number of waiting list initiatives currently underway to improve access this year. In particular, the Inpatient and Day Case Action Plan which was launched in April 2018 and the allocation of €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) in Budget 2018 to secure treatment for patients and reduce waiting times.

The Action Plan targets a reduction in the waiting list for inpatient and day case treatment to below 70,000 by the end of 2018. Under the Plan, the HSE will deliver 1.14 million hospital procedures. The NTPF will deliver additionality to the health system with the provision of 22,000 Inpatient Day Case treatments through both outsourcing and HSE insourcing.

Under the Plan, the NTPF, working closely with the HSE, has invited all hospital groups to develop proposals to maximise the use of existing facilities and capacity. The NTPF advises it has received 70 different proposals across all hospital groups. Arising from this, from January to June this year, 3,500 offers for treatment in a public hospital have been accepted and 2,400 patients have been treated.

In addition my Department will continue to work with the HSE and the NTPF to identify sustainable initiatives to improve waiting times. Last year funding was allocated to provide additional capacity at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital as a result of such initiatives and a cataract theatre is now operational three days per week. This year, in line with the Action Plan, the HSE is planning to open a dedicated Cataract theatre in Nenagh Hospital later this month.