John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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758. To ask the Minister for Health the process in place to use the services at a hospital (details supplied) for ophthalmology and orthopaedic operations; the number of ophthalmology and orthopaedic public patient operations that took place at the hospital in 2018, including under the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, agreement; the number planned for same in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1408/19]

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.

As a result of Waiting List Action Plan 2018, the Inpatient and Daycase waiting list reduced to 70,200 in December 2018, down from the peak of 86,100 in July 2017. This represents a reduction of over 18% in the overall number of patients waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure. Furthermore, the number of patients waiting over 9 months has almost halved in the same period, reducing from over 28,100 to just over 14,900.

The NTPF advises that it offered treatment to 40 Ophthalmology public patients and 157 Orthopaedic public patients in relation to Bon Secours Private Hospital Tralee in 2018. In 2019, the NTPF and the HSE will continue to work closely with all Hospital Groups, inviting proposals to improve access for patients waiting for a hospital procedure.