David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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763. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been brought to the waiting times in pain management clinic in Sligo University Hospital; if there are plans to address the capacity crisis and recruit additional staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58146/22]

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 are still impacted by operational challenges arising from the pandemic.

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.

The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan allocates €350 million to the HSE and NTPF to reduce 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.

For 2023, funding of €443 million is being allocated to tackle Waiting Lists. This includes:

- €123 million in funding for delivery of the HSE Waiting List Action Plan, including priority areas such as Obesity/Bariatrics, Spina Bifida/Scoliosis and Gynaecology, as well as progressing longer-term reforms to sustainably enhance capacity. Other actions in the Action Plan will streamline and reconfigure care pathways.

- €150 million for the NTPF to procure additional capacity to reduce waiting lists.

- €90m for additional short-term measures to address acute scheduled care waiting list backlogs.

In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, 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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764. To ask the Minister for Health the waiting times for the pain management clinic at Sligo University Hospital in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58147/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, this information is published monthly and is available on the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) website at: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm