Written Answers - Hospital Waiting Lists Tuesday, 28 February 2012

Dáil Éireann Debate Vol. 757 No. 1 Page of 540

  659.  Deputy Mary Lou McDonald      asked the Minister for Health      the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 has been unable to obtain an appointment for necessary eye surgery. [10725/12]

Minister for Health (Deputy James Reilly):    I am determined to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients receiving treatment in our hospitals. In this regard I have established the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), which will work to unblock access to acute services by dramatically improving the flow of patients through the system, and by streamlining waiting lists, including referrals from GPs. The SDU is working closely with its partner agencies — mainly the HSE and the NTPF.

As a priority, public hospitals were instructed to ensure that, by the end of 2011, they had no patients waiting more than 12 months for treatment. I can confirm that the vast majority of hospitals achieved this objective. During 2012 the SDU will support hospitals in the delivery of a 9 month maximum wait time for inpatient or daycase surgery.

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. Should the patient’s general practitioner consider that the patient’s condition warrants an earlier appointment, he/she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and facility involved.

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Last Updated: 08/03/2013 15:47:42

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