Conor Sheehan
Question:954. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health her plans to develop additional endoscopy capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17126/26]
View answerTuesday, 3 March 2026
Questions (954)
Written answers
It is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments. I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families.
I am focused on having a public healthcare service in which everyone has timely access to high-quality care including diagnostics, where and when they need it. This will require the health service to deliver more core activity through improved productivity and efficiencies, through ongoing reform and new enabling supports, and through targeted additional capacity.
In this regard, additional endoscopic activity is targeted in the 2026 HSE National Service Plan with attendances to increase by 6,927 or 6.6% from the 2025 outturn to 111,894.
HSE core activity will be augmented by the Waiting Time Action Plan, published in January this year, as part of this Government’s ongoing commitment to improving access to hospital care and sustainably reducing waiting times for patients. Under the Plan the National Treatment Purchase Fund has undertaken to provide some 20,000 endoscopy procedures in 2026.
The Deputy might also note that in Pillar 2 of the Waiting Time Action Plan, Enabling Patient Care, there are two specific actions relating to endoscopy; the implementation of an eReferral system and a nationally procured Endoscopy Reporting System.