Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

409. To ask the Minister for Health the number of hospital appointments rescheduled by the endocrinology clinic in St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown in each of the years 2014 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the number rescheduled by the patient or the clinic, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16475/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Maintaining scheduled care access for all patients is a key priority for hospitals. I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when appointments are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures.  

While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of appointments, the HSE advise that appointments can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand, medical reasons, and patient choice.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.