Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
549. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on neurology outpatient waiting lists; the average waiting time for an appointment; the actions being taken to reduce these waiting lists, by hospital, for each of the years 2020 to 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33810/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt 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 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 that is not readily available on the NTPF website in respect of average waiting times is set out in the attached spreadsheet.
The health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate the time to treatment of patients who have already received their care, which would be necessary to calculate the average waiting time for patients. 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.
