Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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368. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons that are waiting for a respiratory consultation or assessment at Naas General Hospital in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13554/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals have been impacted by operational challenges arising from surges in cases related to the Delta and Omicron variants.

The HSE has confirmed to the Department that patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.

The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care, including through increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services, providing virtual clinics, and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.

In relation to the data requested by the Deputy, the NTPF have informed my Department that for the time period requested there were no patients waiting from an outpatient respiratory appointment at Naas General Hospital. The NTPF also undertook to determine the number of patients awaiting an inpatient/day case procedure for respiratory assessment, and also found there to be no patients waiting for the time period in question.