Seán Crowe
Question:1824. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the approximate waiting time for a cataract operation in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin 2. [35116/18]
View answerTuesday, 24 July 2018
Questions (1824)
Written answers
Improving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for
Government and in 2018 €50 million was allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to provide treatment for patients.
Under the Inpatient and Day Case Action Plan, which was launched earlier this year, the HSE will deliver 1.14 million hospital procedures. The NTPF will deliver additionally to the health system with the provision of 22,000 Inpatient Day Case treatments through both outsourcing and HSE insourcing.
The Action Plan places a particular focus on cataract surgery and includes a commitment to offer treatment to all cataract patients who are clinically suitable for treatment at outsourced facilities and who have been waiting more than 9 months for treatment.
In addition, my Department is continuing to work with the HSE and the NTPF to identify sustainable initiatives to improve waiting times.
The NTPF advises that the average waiting time for a cataract operation at the Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital is 163 days.