Children's waiting lists
Deputy Micheál Martin raised the long waits children face for outpatient appointments and asked what the Government would do. The Taoiseach said waiting times for procedures were falling but outpatient lists remained a concern, and the exchange was cut short by the Chair.
It is my genuine belief that there are many children in the country who are not being looked after and who are in vulnerable situations, from those with disabilities to those waiting for hospital and outpatient appointments. The programme for Government makes it clear that we need to plan ahead for this new generation by putting in place measures that provide them equality of opportunity, etc.. However, the latest figures from, for example, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, show that 8,726 children have been waiting over 18 months for outpatient appointments with consultants. Further analysis shows that overall 52,000 children are waiting for appointments and that 15,000 of them have been waiting for more than a year. By any yardstick, these are worrying figures in terms of how children are being prioritised by the health service and they illustrate that commitments in the programme for Government in respect of children and young people in general are not being realised.
Comment on this
Why are the lists in respect of children getting longer? Can the Taoiseach outline the Government's intention to get to grips with this issue?
Comment on this
-----but the Government certainly does not wish to see anyone, child or adult, waiting long periods for treatment. I know the figures that came out just last week show that the number of patients waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure such as procedures on hips, knees and cataracts - all those procedures that people need - was down another 1,264 on the previous month and from a peak of 80,000. We are, therefore, very much going in the right direction when it comes to procedures and surgery. I absolutely accept that we are still going in the wrong direction when it comes to outpatient appointments. Regarding children on outpatient waiting lists, I am told 64% wait less than a year but that more than 36% can wait more than 12 months. The HSE has confirmed that there had been challenges in reducing outpatient waiting times for both children and adults due to difficulties recruiting consultants arising from retirements and vacancies-----
Comment on this
-----but in the past two years the focus has been on inpatient day case waiting lists, which-----