Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:480. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time in Cork for a hip replacement, by persons waiting six months, one year, two years and three years. [23433/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 26 March 2026
Ceisteanna (480, 481)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:481. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time in Cork for knee replacement, by persons waiting six months, one year, two years, three years. [23434/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 480 and 481 together.
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 published the Waiting Time Action Plan (WTAP) for 2026 on January 30th, as part of this Government’s ongoing commitment to improving access to hospital care and reducing waiting times for patients.
The multi-annual Action Plan approach was implemented in September 2021 to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists and waiting times. Significant progress has been made under this approach in reducing the length of time patients are waiting.
With the 2026 plan, we will continue to build upon the progress delivered to date under the multi annual action plan approach, moving towards the ultimate vision of a public healthcare service in which everyone has timely access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it.
National waiting list information by hospital, specialty, and time band is published monthly by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) on its website: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm.
The information is now being made available through an interactive visual tool which provides users with a much-improved way of accessing and analysing waiting list information.
The specific information requested by the Deputy which is not readily available on the NTPF website is set out in the attached spreadsheets.
It should be noted that the health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate the average time to treatment of patients who have already received their care. The mean and median average waiting times provided to my Department by the NTPF and set out in the attached, are in respect of how long patients on lists have been waiting.