A former Clare Chair of the HSE’s Regional Health Forum West is calling for the National Treatment Purchase Fund to be extended to outpatients to clear growing waiting lists.
It comes as the latest figures show over 33,500 people were waiting for inpatient or outpatient appointments at University Hospital Limerick alone last month, a rise of more than 600 on February’s figure.
While, there’s been a 79% rise in the number of people waiting over a year and a half for an appointment in March, compared to the same month last year.
Record trolley numbers in the wake of Storm Emma, coupled with a prolonged flu season, led to the cancellation of all appointments, but Kilmaley Councillor Tom McNamara has been telling Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill that’s not good enough.
UL Hospitals Response
The numbers of patients waiting for an inpatient or day case procedures at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) reduced overall in 2017.
There was slight increase in numbers waiting 18 months or more for inpatient procedures at UHL in March 2018 when compared with March 2017. UL Hospitals has appointed a new maxillofacial surgeon who will be commencing surgery in Ennis Hospital Thursday 19th April,. These long waiters in UHL will have their surgery in Ennis with this appointment and will be the priority. Ashortage of consultants in this area has contributed to the increase in numbers waiting in March 2018.
Additionally, during Storm Emma in the first week of March, all elective surgery was cancelled in the majority of cases across UL Hospitals Group to assist in the Emergency Planning during the severe weather, all appointments have since been rescheduled. The ED has seen record levels of flu this winter which has contributed to overcrowding levels and in recent weeks, visitors have been restricted to the hospital due to an outbreak of Norovirus (winter vomiting bug). As part of the management of overcrowding in the ED, non-urgent elective surgeries may be rescheduled to increase capacity at the UHL site.
In 2018, the HSE remains committed to reducing the number of patients waiting for hospital operations or procedures. In its recently published Action Plan, the HSE, Department of Health & the NTPF have committed to offering treatment to all patients who are for waiting more than 9 months for high volume procedures such as cataract operations and hip and knee replacements. UL Hospitals will be working with the HSE towards meeting this target.
From an outpatient perspective, there was an increase in the number of outpatients waiting for an appointment at UL Hospitals Group between March 2017 and March 2018. Among the reasons for the increase in the number of patients waiting for appointments is the significant growth in demand; an increase in the number of urgent referrals in some specialties and a shortage of consultants in other specialties. In 2018, a particular focus will be placed on the validation of outpatient waiting lists by UL Hospitals Group in line with national plans to tackle wait times for patients.
As a result of a recent resignation from UL Hospitals Group, there is currently insufficient orthopaedic consultant resources to cover all of the outpatients clinics across the Group. The Group has recently advertised for two consultant orthopaedic surgeons and it is envisaged one or both of these posts will be filled by July 2018.
In addition, during Storm Emma, outpatient appointments were also cancelled in the majority of cases across UL Hospitals Group, all appointments have been rescheduled.
In 2018, we are placing a particular focus on the validation of outpatient waiting lists by UL Hospitals Group in line with national plans to tackle wait times for patients.
As part of the validation process, we are contacting all patients waiting over 6 months to see if they wish to remain on the waiting list. The purpose of this exercise is to ensure that existing resources are optimised and that we improve overall access times for patients.
The HSE is also asking patients to let their hospital know as soon as possible if they cannot attend scheduled appointments so that other patients may be offered appointments.
All patients who are waiting, inpatient and outpatient, are prioritised according to clinical need. Beyond this, UL Hospitals Group will continue to focus on seeing and treating those who have been waiting the longest.
Consultant, nursing support and clerical staff across our surgical, anaesthetic, medicine and diagnostic disciplines work together in a collaborative manner to ensure that all of our patients are treated in the most timely manner.
