Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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812. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients currently on the endoscopy waiting list for longer than 13 weeks at University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24221/21]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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813. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients currently on the endoscopy waiting list at University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24222/21]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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814. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients currently on the endoscopy waiting list for longer than 26 weeks at University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24223/21]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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815. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients currently on the endoscopy waiting list for longer than 39 weeks at University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24224/21]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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816. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients currently on the endoscopy waiting list for longer than 52 weeks at University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24225/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 812 to 816, inclusive, together.

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result of the deferral of elective scheduled care activity in March, April and May of 2020, and since 2nd January 2021. This impact has been witnessed across all waiting list categories, including G.I. Endoscopy.

G.I. Endoscopy services were heavily affected during the first surge of COVID-19. In 2020 the scheduled care waiting list for GI Scopes grew by 46% (+10,295) to 32,539. In early 2021, due to the further curtailment of scheduled care, G.I. Scope waiting lists increased by a further 10% to 35,634 by the end of March 2021.

The HSE continues to work to improve access, particularly to urgent colonoscopy services. The HSE’s National Clinical Advisor and Group Lead for Acute Operations has recommended that, where possible, endoscopy services be maintained in the current surge. This may involve relocation of the service to designated non-COVID sites to preserve throughput or to private providers, if available.

In addition, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is working closely with individual hospitals to improve access to endoscopy/colonoscopy services for waiting list patients, including through the outsourcing of G.I. Scopes treatment to Private Hospitals where capacity is available.

In 2020 the NTPF arranged 7,399 scopes for patients. The NTPF continues to commission treatment for patients and plans to double the number of scopes it arranges in 2021.

The data requested by the Deputy regarding the number of patients currently waiting on the Endoscopy waiting list, and the number of patients currently waiting longer than 13, 26, 39 and 52 weeks on the Endoscopy waiting list at University Hospital Kerry is outlined in the attached document.

Endoscopy, Total GI Scope Waiters by time-band (months) at University Hospital, Kerry as at 25/03/2021

The NTPF have advised that for Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC) reasons the information requested by the Deputy regarding the total GI Scope Waiters in UHK waiting over 52 Weeks cannot be provided to protect patient identification due to the small volume of patients waiting.