Fine Gael Limerick TD, Patrick O’ Donovan, has welcomed figures released by the Department of Health which show dramatic decreases in the waiting times at the Mid Western Regional Hospitals in Croom and Dooradoyle for in-patient and daycase patients.
Waiting lists over 9 months have been eliminated for in-patient and daycase surgery at Croom, while waiting lists for the same period has more than halved for in-patient and daycase procedures in the MWRH in Dooradoyle.
“These figures reveal very encouraging progress on waiting times in our hospitals between February 2011 just before this Government came into office and February 2013. In Croom Hospital people waiting over three months decreased from 78 in February 2011 to 41 in February 2013. Those waiting over six months decreased from ten to one. Those waiting over nine months decreased from three to zero while those waiting more than 12 months decreased from 1 to zero. “
“I am delighted to see these figures which will have a massive impact for people using the hospitals in Croom and Dooradoyle. The figures also provide real, concrete proof that the Minister for Health, James Reilly’s plan to reform and improve our health system are working.
“This massive reduction in in-patient and daycase waiting times has been experienced in hospitals throughout the country. Since the end of February 2011, waiting lists longer than a year for in-patient and day case procedures have been eliminated in 15 hospitals and waiting lists longer than 9 months for these procedures have been eliminated in 9 hospitals. The number of adults having to wait more than 9 months for in-patient and day case surgery was down to 86 at the end of December 2012, from 3,706 in December 2011, a 98% decrease.
“This Government inherited a health service in crisis, despite the vast amount of money that had been blindly pumped into it.
“Minister Reilly has established a Special Delivery Unit to work with hospitals to reduce the number of people on trolleys and waiting times for procedures. The results show that this approach is having a massive impact for patients.
“For example, the number of children waiting over 20 weeks was down to 89 at the end of December 2012, from 1,759 in December 2011, a 95% decrease. The number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for a routine endoscopy procedure went down from 4,590 in December 2011 to 126 at the end of December 2012, a 99% decrease. And in 2012, there were 20,352 less patients waiting on trolleys in comparison to 2011, representing an overall reduction of 23.6%
“On top of this the Government negotiated a new deal to cut the cost of medicines by €400million over three years and a significant new agreement was reached with hospital consultants to cut costs and improve their availability. The Government has also opened a new Cystic Fibrosis Unit in St Vincent’s Hospital and has chosen St James’ Hospital as the site for the new National Children’s Hospital.
“Fine Gael promised to reform and improve our health service and we are delivering on this promise, despite the massive financial constraints that exist. The previous Government thought it could solve our health service by throwing money at it and creating a multitude of management positions. This Government is managing through a practical, pragmatic approach to turn our health service around. It is great to see this approach benefitting patients in Croom and Dooradoyle.”