Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1615.To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting outpatient eye care appointments at present; the steps being taken to reduce this waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[33960/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments.

As part of the multi-annual approach to reducing waiting lists, and just as importantly the length of time that patients are waiting, I published the 2024 Waiting List Action Plan on 27th March. Total funding of €360 million has been provided for the plan this year which sets out 19 Actions across three themes: Delivering Capacity, Reforming Scheduled Care and Enabling Scheduled Care Reform.

The Waiting List Action Plan, multi-annual approach, initiated in 2021, encompasses a two-pronged approach of short-term actions to increase capacity and activity in the short to immediate term, and longer-term reform measures to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists and waiting times.

The 2024 Plan builds on the work of previous plans which have achieved significant progress in overall waiting list reduction and in addressing long waiting times, against a backdrop of significantly increased demand for scheduled care services. This year’s plan aims to achieve a reduction in the overall number of patients on waiting lists while three of the four overarching targets in the Plan are specifically focused on improving waiting times.

The HSE is currently in the process of implementing multidisciplinary Integrated Eye Care Teams. These teams facilitate assessment, diagnoses, management and treatment and in some cases pre-op/post-op care enabling most patients to be seen in their own locality. Where necessary, patients can be referred onwards to acute Ophthalmology services to receive the necessary specialist input.

Integrated Eye Care Teams continue to be rolled out nationally. Waiting lists have been substantially reduced in each of these areas as a result. Work is underway to establish teams in the remaining CHOs as well as further expanding the teams in the existing CHOs.

As this is a service matter, we have also asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.