Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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130. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for urology tests in each region; the average waiting time in each region; the steps he will take to ensure the HSE has the resources to deal with this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43271/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy has been provided by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) at Hospital Group level and can be found on the attached spread sheet.

Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for the Government. This year has seen ongoing improvements with the number of patients waiting for inpatient and day case procedures (IPDC) now at 72,700 from the peak of 86,100 in July 2017. This represents a 16% reduction in the overall number of patients waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure.

In Budget 2019 the Government has further increased investment in this area, with funding to the NTPF to increase from €55m in 2018 to €75m in 2019.

My Department is working closely with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund to finalise the 2019 Waiting List Initiatives before the end of this year. The Plan will outline the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2019 to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment.

The NTPF activity will cover approximately 50 high to medium volume procedures. The NTPF will also take a targeted approach in 2019 and further procedures will be tendered for, depending on waiting list times and suitability of patients for treatment at outsourced facilities.

While the NTPF will provide many of the procedures through outsourcing, it will build on the progress made in 2018 and the engagements with individual Hospitals to further support public system initiatives through HSE insourcing. NTPF authorisations are made in respect of the longest waiting patients first.

IPDC Waiters for Urology Testing by Group by TimeBand as at 18/10/2018

Average Wait Time: 144 Days