Written answers

Tuesday, 8 December 2020

Department of Justice and Equality

Hospital Waiting Lists

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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561. To ask the Minister for Health the action he is taking to reduce the waiting time for appointments to see a paediatric rheumatologist; the number on the waiting list for such appointments in each of the past five years; the number of children with Down's syndrome on the waiting list for the same period; the efforts made by the HSE to recruit paediatric rheumatologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41154/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I sincerely regret that children can experience a long waiting time for Rheumatology treatment, and I am conscious of the burden that this places on them and their families.

Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) has advised my Department that during the initial phases of COVID-19, all face to face hospital outpatient reviews and most of the planned diagnostic tests, were deferred in response to the pandemic.  CHI at Crumlin have recommenced the majority of outpatient and diagnostic services, albeit at reduced numbers, due to public health guidelines on social distancing.  Currently, Consultant Rheumatologists are seeing a number of patients in the outpatient suite including urgent patients and those who were deferred during the early phases of COVID-19. 

CHI has further advised that there is an active recruitment campaign for an additional Rheumatology Consultant underway. This addition to the medical staff will allow for an increased number of patients to be seen, diagnosed and treatment initiated, as part of the comprehensive Rheumatology service.

CHI has advised that patients with Down's syndrome who present to Rheumatology services with suspicion of arthritis are clinically assessed and diagnosed by the clinical team.

In relation to waiting lists for Rheumatology Outpatient appointments, the document in the following link shows the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) published figures for CHI at the end of December 2016-2019 and October 2020. NTPF waiting lists are collected in respect of outpatient specialties and inpatient/daycase procedures. Waiting times can be examined in terms of the appointment or procedure that a patient is waiting for, however it is not possible to identify patients based on their clinical diagnosis.

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