Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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471. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which his Department is engaged in the build-up of neurological services throughout the health system as highlighted by an organisation (details supplied); the extent of general progress that has been made in respect of the issue; when he expects to see major improvements in dealing with such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31475/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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472. To ask the Minister for Health the action that has been taken to address the delays in provision of appropriate treatment for patients with scoliosis and spina bifida; if it is envisaged to make serious inroads on the number of persons on such waiting lists in the shortest possible time; when the appropriate initiatives are likely to become obvious; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31476/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In February of this year I met with senior officials of Children’s Heath Ireland (CHI) and the HSE, as well as senior orthopaedic clinicians from Temple Street, Crumlin and Cappagh, to discuss the finalisation of proposals to increase orthopaedic activity at CHI. The plan proposes ambitious additional activity levels which will work to reduce the number of children waiting for spinal orthopaedic procedures (scoliosis and spina bifida) by year end.

This latest initiative is further evidence of this Government’s commitment to address the issues facing these children. Both current and capital funding has been provided in 2022 to support this initiative.

Both current and capital funding totalling €17.43 million has been approved for this initiative. The plan will result in an additional 67 spinal fusions and 28 spinal other procedures for children with Scoliosis, as well as an additional 141 procedures for children with Spina Bifida. The plan also allocates substantial paediatric orthopaedic procedures at Cappagh orthopaedic hospital, with 720 additional procedures planned for the year.

By using the capacity provided by Cappagh for less complex orthopaedic patients, including routine scoliosis procedures, CHI can free up space in order that complex orthopaedic procedures, including scoliosis spinal fusions, can be carried out centrally at CHI sites. The impact of the plan has already been recorded with increased activity year to date. Year to date by the end of May 2022, 197 scoliosis procedures had been carried out, compared to 156 for the same period in 2019. The number of patients waiting longer than 6 months for a scoliosis procedure has also reduced to 79 by the end of May 2022, compared to 103 in August 2020.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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473. To ask the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to clear waiting lists for cataract treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31477/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department works closely with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to improve access for patients waiting for high volume procedures, including cataracts. Ophthalmology services are provided throughout all hospital groups in the country, with cataract removal one of the key procedures carried out as part of this specialty.

The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan, published in February of this year, allocates €350m to the HSE and NTPF to reduce and reform acute scheduled care waiting lists. Under this plan the Department, HSE, and NTPF will deliver urgent additional capacity for the treatment of patients, as well as investing in longer term reforms to bring sustained reductions in waiting lists.

Through the Waiting List Action Plan, public hospitals will be supported by the NTPF in a number of ways, including funding the operation of cataract clinics in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital and in Nenagh General Hospital.

The Plan also identifies cataracts as one of 15 high-volume procedures for which the NTPF will ensure that people waiting over 6 months will receive an offer of treatment, provided they are clinically ready. As of the end of May, just over 1,500 patients had been waiting more than 6 months for an inpatient day case (IPDC) cataract procedure, and over 1,300 of them have been made an offer of treatment.

Implementation of the Waiting List Action Plan is overseen by a Task Force, co-chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and the CEO of the HSE. The Department, HSE and NTPF will continue to work closely to identify ways to improve access to care across the system, 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.