Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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858. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients waiting for plastic surgery appointments; and the length of time they have been waiting. [19354/19]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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859. To ask the Minister for Health the hospitals and locations in which plastic surgery is carried out nationally. [19355/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 858 and 859 together.

Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital appointments and procedures is a key priority for Government. Budget 2019 announced that the Government has further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) increasing from €55 million in 2018 to €75 million in 2019.

The joint Department of Health/HSE/NTPF Scheduled Care Access Plan 2019 was published in March and sets out measures to improve care for patients waiting for scheduled care in 2019 by reducing waiting times for inpatient/day case treatment and outpatient appointments. Under the Plan the HSE, in line with the National Service Plan, will aim to deliver 1.155 million elective inpatient and day case discharges, as well as 3.3 million outpatient appointments, of which approximately 1 million will be first appointments.

The locations at which plastic surgery is carried out is captured in the Inpatient and Daycase (IPDC) waiting list. The hospitals which held an active IPDC waiting list as of 28 March are listed in the attached document. In addition, the outpatient waiting list for plastic surgery as of 28 March is also provided for the Deputy in the attached document.

Table contd.