Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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174. To ask the Minister for Health the waiting times for a hysterectomy for public patients at Cork University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3522/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Reducing waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures is a key commitment of Government. The 2019 Scheduled Care Access Plan is currently being finalised by my Department and will set out HSE activity levels to reduce waiting lists across specialties and improve access. The Access Plan will also set out activity levels for the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) who, following an increase in funding in Budget 2019 to €75 million, will supply additionality to HSE activity by arranging both insourced and outsourced appointments and treatments to reduce waiting times experienced by patients.

The Access Plan is being developed to ensure an appropriate balance between high volume activities and offering treatment to complex long waiting patients. The NTPF will do this by inviting public hospitals to seek solutions for very long waiters either in the private sector or through insourcing. The NTPF will provide funding to the solutions proposed if appropriate.

In relation to the information requested by the Deputy, the NTPF have advised that Cork University Hospital (CUH) does not hold a waiting list for the procedure of hysterectomy.  The NPTF further advise that as of the 17th January 2019 there were 28 patients awaiting a hysterectomy in Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), with an average waiting time of 239 days. A breakdown of this waiting list by time bands is provided for the Deputy.

Total IPDC Waiters for a Hysterectomy Procedure in Cork University Maternity Hospital as of 17/01/2019