Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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92. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to reduce waiting lists for gynaecological procedures at Cork University Maternity Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43542/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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 daycase 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 National Treatment Purchase Fund and the HSE to finalise the 2019 Waiting List Initiatives before the end of this year. This approach is to ensure a seamless continuation of the considerable progress made this year into next year.

The HSE has advised that there are currently 3,379 patients on the Outpatient waiting list and 442 on the inpatient waiting list.

In early 2018 CUMH committed again to reduce the Gynaecology Inpatient/Daycase waiting lists and with the support of the South/South West HG and the NTPF rented theatre space in the Mater Private Hospital Cork. From April to October this year CUMH held 8 full day theatre sessions to operate on the long waiters treating 56 patients and a further full day planned for December (8 patients).

Initiatives to address the Gynaecology Outpatient waiting list have included the commencement of additional Gynaecology OP Clinics out of hours (368+ extra patients seen so far) at CUMG which has resulted in almost 370 additional patients been seen. In addition, CUMH started 6 new weekly Registrar clinics on Monday 30th July. In September, a new Friday OPD commenced which is seeing 25/30 new patients (long waiters). Later this year CUMH will also be commencing a new weekly Outreach Clinic in Mallow Primary Health in conjunction with the GPs.