Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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80. To ask the Minister for Health when he expects to see a reduction in the number of persons waiting more than a year for an outpatient appointment in Mayo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48873/19]

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. In this regard, the Government is committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures.

The latest published National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) figures for October show that there are 8,629 patients on the Mayo University Hospital Outpatient waiting list. Of these, 60% (5,198) are waiting 12 months or less. The Mayo University Hospital Outpatient waiting list has decreased by 1% when compared to the same period last year.

The NTPF has advised my Department that they have approved a number of Outpatient proposals for Mayo University Hospital in 2019, providing up to 83 clinics for 1,065 patient appointments.

More broadly, Budget 2020 announced that the Government has further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the NTPF increasing from €75 million in 2019 to €100 million in 2020.

My Department is working with the HSE and NTPF to develop the Scheduled Care Access Plan 2020. The National Service Plan 2020 will set out HSE planned activity level for the year ahead, while the NTPF will work with the hospital system to provide additionality to improve access to inpatient/daycase treatment and with a particular focus on hospital outpatient services.

In this regard, I would encourage all hospital groups and individual hospitals to engage with the NTPF to identify waiting list proposals for the remainder of this year and for 2020.