Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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385. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 168 to 170, inclusive, of 16 January 2019, the number of persons who have undergone cataract surgery in each of the years 2016 to 2018; and the cost of surgery in each of these years. [5299/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families. In this regard, I am committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures.

Last year, under the Inpatient / Day Case Action Plan for 2018, I sought real progress to drive down waiting lists not only for high volume procedures, but also to treat patients with life-limiting conditions such as cataracts. The waiting list figures published by the NTPF for the end of December 2018 show that the efforts of the HSE, the NTPF and individual Hospitals are delivering results. The total number of Inpatient/Daycase patients waiting for a cataract procedure fell from just over 10,000 in July 2017 to 6,440 by the end of 2018, a reduction of 36%. The numbers waiting more than 3 months for cataract surgery showed a reduction of almost 55% in the same period, falling from 7,967 to 3,607, while those waiting more than 9 months fell from 4,371 to 554, a reduction of 87%.

It should be pointed out that the figures provided in PQs 168-170 of January 2019 in relation to the numbers of persons that have undergone cataract surgery from 2016 to 2018 and the cost of this surgery, refer to NTPF data only. The HSE figures were not included due to an administrative error. Accordingly a table setting out HSE and NTPF figures is provided below with the following exceptions: Both the HSE and the NTPF have advised that 2018 data is still being finalised; The NTPF did not have a direct role in the commissioning of patient treatments in 2016. At that time, the procurement of treatments was carried out by the HSE and the role of the NTPF was in the administration of the payments to hospitals. The NTPF advises it can only provide total costs for ophthalmology, which include cataracts, as costs for cataracts are deemed commercially sensitive.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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386. To ask the Minister for Health the status of proposals for Nenagh Hospital to become a hub for cataract surgery here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5301/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Last year I launched the Inpatient / Day Case Action Plan for 2018. Under this Plan I wanted to see real progress to drive down waiting lists not only for high volume procedures but also to treat patients with life-limiting procedures such as cataracts.

I asked the HSE and NTPF to work together to develop sustainable solutions to tackle waiting lists. One such solution was the dedicated UL Hospital Cataract Centre at Nenagh Hospital which I officially opened last November. This is a stand-alone high-volume consultant-led cataract theatre facility which, at full capacity, will provide a 5-day service, which is expected to deliver 2,000 cataract procedures in 2019. This initiative will have a very positive impact, given its central location, by providing capacity for cataract surgery for patients on public hospital waiting lists in the surrounding geographical areas.

The establishment of this dedicated centre is an excellent example of how collaboration between hospitals and the National Treatment Purchase Fund can result in innovative solutions which ultimately drive better outcomes for our patients.

I hope to publish the joint Department of Health/HSE/NTPF Scheduled Care Access Plan 2019 for inpatient, day case and outpatients shortly. This will reflect activity targets from the HSE, in line with the National Service Plan, to reduce waiting times across specialties and improve access to appointments and procedures. The plan will also set out activity levels for the NTPF in line with their increased allocation of funding totalling €75 million in 2019.