Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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539. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children waiting on a hospital-based medical or surgical service; the average waiting time after the completion of an assessment of needs by CHO area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56875/21]

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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540. To ask the Minister for Health the average number of interventions received after a child is identified as needing a hospital-based medical or surgical service after completion of an assessment of needs since the initial intervention in the first 12 months by CHO area in the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56876/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 539 and 540 together.

As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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541. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for appointments for a hospital-based medical or surgical service; the average waiting times by CHO area in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56877/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last twenty months as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently as a result of the ransomware attack. While significant progress was made in reducing waiting times from June 2020 onwards, the surge in Covid-19 cases in the first quarter of 2021 and the associated curtailment of acute hospital services, coupled with the ransomware attack of May 2021, has impacted waiting times.

The current surge in Covid-19 cases has put increasing pressures on hospitals and ICUs. As part of the response to this the HSE has advised all Hospital Groups to take a series of immediate actions which include a 14 day period of prioritising unscheduled care, COVID care and time sensitive work in particular in Model 4 hospitals. The situation is to be reviewed after that period.

My Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) are focusing on improving access to elective care in order to reduce waiting times for patients. These plans include increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services where minor procedures are provided at the same time as outpatient consultations, providing virtual clinics and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.

On the 7th October I published the Acute Waiting List Action Plan. This plan, to run until December 2021, has a series of targeted measures that are designed to address the growth in waiting lists caused by Covid-19 and the cyber-attack.

In addition, my Department, the HSE and the NTPF are also working on a Multi Annual Waiting List Plan to bring waiting lists in line with Sláintecare targets over the coming years. This process will be overseen by a Ministerial Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and includes representatives from the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund. The plan will be informed by the lessons learned from the successful Vaccine Taskforce.

For 2022 an additional allocation of €250 million, comprised of €200 million to the HSE and €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund has been provided in respect of work to reduce hospital and community waiting lists. The €250 million will be used to fund additional activity in both the public and private sectors. The €50 million additional funding provided to the NTPF brings its total allocation for 2022 to €150 million, and as a consequence there will be a budget of €350 million available to support vital initiatives to improve access to acute hospitals and community health services.

In relation to the issues raised by the Deputy, the attached waiting list reports, published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund on their website show the breakdown by time-band of children on Acute Hospital waiting lists for Outpatient and Inpatient/Day case appointments at the end of October 2021.

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