Written answers
Wednesday, 1 June 2022
Department of Health
Hospital Appointments Status
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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193. To ask the Minister for Health the number of appointments by type cancelled across each hospital due to the hospital being unable to provide the service, as opposed to patient initiated cancellations, due to unscheduled care and other reasons to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28197/22]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.
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.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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194. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients that have experienced a cancellation in the last 6 months for an outpatient, inpatient, or diagnostic appointment; the number of patients where the number of cancellations was greater than 2, 3, 4, and 5 for each, for that appointment, across the relevant time period where greater than a 6 month period in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28198/22]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.
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.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
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