HSE chief concedes service is 'behind target' in tackling waiting lists

HSE interim chief executive Stephen Mulvany told Oireachtas health committee HSE had aimed to have 98% of people on outpatient lists waiting no longer than 18 months by the end of this year but this was affected by Covid-outbreaks. Picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins 

The plan to reduce hospital waiting lists is running behind target despite improvements in some areas, the Oireachtas health committee heard on Wednesday.

There are now an estimated 897,300 people on waiting lists, including almost 98,000 children, and this growing crisis was the focus of presentations by the HSE and Department of Health.

During this discussion on hospitals and reforms through Sláintecare, health representatives agreed the situation for patients currently was “unacceptable".

Answering questions on the waiting list action plan from People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, the HSE interim chief executive Stephen Mulvany said: “It’s behind target.” 

It had aimed to have 98% of people on outpatient lists waiting no longer than 18 months by the end of this year but this was affected by Covid-outbreaks, the committee heard.

“We are likely by the end of the year to get to about 82% rather than 98%,” he said. “So we are behind that number.” 

Department secretary-general Robert Watt said: “While we have not achieved all that we hoped to in terms of waiting lists in 2022, we have seen particular progress in relation to long waiters, which have reduced significantly from their pandemic peaks.” 

The number of patients waiting longer than 12 months for an outpatient appointment has decreased by 35% since March 2021.

Chief operations officer Damien McCallion said programmes were running with paramedics and emergency departments to reduce times waiting times.

Some 205,000 scans and diagnostics were provided for patients through GPs having direct access to booking these.

Mr Watt said they were examining hiring processes but said: “For this year, we are below the target we had forecast.” 

More than 15,000 staff have been recruited in the past two years, including 4,500 nurses and midwives.

Social Democrats health spokeswoman Róisín Shortall welcomed the positive signs of Sláintecare she was starting to see locally, but said: "There seems to be commitment to the theory, there is a commitment in terms of funding but the big obstacle is recruitment.” 

Cabinet approval of a new contract for hospital consultants was welcomed by those present — this will give patients more direct access to doctors at weekends, among other changes. It is also expected to make hospital work more attractive, and will now be considered by the doctors' bodies. 

Mr Mulvany said work continues on deciding how roles and powers will be devolved to the new Regional Health Areas. These will have “a very large degree of autonomy” over resources. 

Each RHA head will be directly accountable to the committee for their budgeting and procurement practices, Sinn Féin Health spokesman David Cullinane was told. 

Green party spokeswoman Neasa Hourigan raised concerns Government spending watching, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Committee (IFAC) previously expressed about funding. 

Mr Watt said he would address these directly with IFAC and will send the committee an estimate of Sláintecare costs.