Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
1193. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of patients removed from orthopaedic outpatient waiting lists through administrative validation in 2025, broken down by hospital, waiting-time band and reason for removal. [39036/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1194. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of patients removed from orthopaedic inpatient or day-case waiting lists through administrative validation in 2025, broken down by hospital, waiting-time band and reason for removal. [39037/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1195. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if an audit will be carried out to establish how many orthopaedic patients removed through administrative validation in 2025 were later re-presented or were re-referred for the same condition. [39038/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1196. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if the HSE or NTPF records the full waiting time from GP referral to completed orthopaedic procedure; and if not, if the absence of full-pathway waiting-time data has been assessed as a governance risk. [39039/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1199. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if the Waiting Time Action Plan 2026 includes specific targets for reducing orthopaedic outpatient waiting times; and if so, to provide those targets by HSE region. [39042/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1200. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if the Waiting Time Action Plan 2026 includes specifically funded capacity for knee replacement pathways, including outpatient assessment, diagnostics, theatre capacity and post-operative rehabilitation. [39043/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1202. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if her Department will examine the separate publication of outpatient and inpatient waiting lists, which understate the real waiting time experienced by patients requiring knee replacement surgery. [39045/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1193, 1194, 1195, 1196, 1199, 1200 and 1202 together.
A break down by hospital in respect of validation removals for 2025 has been provided to my Department by the National Treatment Purchase Fund and is attached. As validation is based on the original date of referral rather than by reference to waiting list time band, such a breakdown has not been provided. All removals and reinstatements, if necessary, through validation are in accordance with the relevant waiting list protocol.
Data relating to “reason for removal” is not currently collated for administrative validation accordingly, the totals include patients who responded that they did not wish to remain on the waiting list as well as those who did not respond to a validation letter.
In consultation with my Department and the HSE, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is leading on a Best Practice Reporting (BPR) project which will provide a greater level of detail in respect of how long patients on acute hospital waiting lists can expect to be waiting for care.
BPR will provide access to meaningful wait time information for patients and practitioners and will assist in maximising resources in the effective management of waiting time and waiting list information.
Full details relation to the 2026 WTAP are available at [(www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/publications/waiting-time-action-plan-2026/]).
