Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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221. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which he continues to monitor waiting lists for orthopaedic and cardiac procedures nationally; the extent to which progress is being made in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21161/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for 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. The plan will place a strong focus on a number of high-volume procedures, including angiograms and hip and knee replacements. When combined with HSE activity, it is projected that the NTPF will be in a position to offer treatment to all clinically suitable patients waiting more than 6 months for one of these high-volume procedures.

The latest National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) Figures (April 2019), show that there were 10,099 patients on the orthopaedic inpatient and daycase waiting list. This represents a decrease of 12% on the same period last year when there were 11,483 patients waiting. Of the total number of patients waiting, 76% (7,702) are waiting 9 months or less, equating to an 8.5% (-722) decrease when compared to the same period last year. Those waiting over 9 months for an orthopaedic procedure has fallen from 3,059 to 2,397, a reduction of over 21%.

As of the end of April 2019, there were 3,788 patients on the Cardiology IPDC waiting list. This represents a decrease of nearly 6% on the same period last year when there were 4,023 patients waiting. Of the total number of patients waiting, 85% (3,221) are waiting 9 months or less, equating to a 4% (-123) decrease when compared to the same period last year. Those waiting over 9 months for a Cardiology procedure has fallen from 679 to 567, a reduction of over 16%.

More broadly, my Department has placed a particular priority on performance improvement in scheduled and unscheduled care in order to improve access for patients. At the end of 2017, a new Unit was established in my Department with a remit to work with colleagues, HSE and NTPF to provide strategic direction and drive a whole-of-Department approach to performance oversight and innovation in this area. The monitoring of waiting lists is a key activity of this Unit.

A further breakdown of the Orthopaedic and Cardiology IPDC waiting lists are provided for Deputy in the tables below.

Orthopaedics IPDC Waiting List April 2019 and 2018

Table cntd...

Cardiology IPDC Waiting List April 2019 and 2018