Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan and Monaghan, Brendan Smith has welcomed additional funding for an outpatient orthopaedics initiative at Cavan General Hospital, which will facilitate treatment for 491 patients on orthopaedics waiting lists.

Deputy Brendan Smith has been advised by the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly that the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has approved an outpatient orthopaedics initiative at the hospital. 

The Cavan and Monaghan TD commented, “I have been raising through Parliamentary Questions and in Dáil debates the urgent need to eliminate the waiting lists for both assessment and follow-up treatment for orthopaedic patients in Cavan and Monaghan. So, I greatly welcome this new initiative for the hospital.

“The Minister’s reply to me stated that for 2022 an additional allocation of €250 million, comprised of €200 million to the HSE and €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund has been provided in respect of work to reduce hospital and community waiting lists. The €250 million will be used to fund additional activity in both the public and private sectors. The €50 million additional funding provided to the NTPF brings its total allocation for 2022 to €150 million, and as a consequence there will be a budget of €350 million available to support vital initiatives to improve access to acute hospitals and community health services.”

Deputy Brendan Smith added: “Linked to this, I have also been pursuing with the Minister for Health and the HSE the need to provide additional capacity at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh (NOHC), where both children and adults from Cavan and Monaghan access services as well.”

In his reply to Deputy Smith, the Minister added that the HSE has advised that NOHC has recently implemented a new initiative with Children’s Health Ireland to reduce the growing paediatric waiting lists for time dependent surgery for a younger cohort of patients (+2 years). 

The HSE has further advised the Minister that the NOHC and the Ireland East Hospital Group have made a submission to the HSE in relation to the future development of services in the Hospital. The submission includes a 10 Bed HDU, 76 Bed Single Occupancy Modular Build and three additional theatres. The proposal is currently under consideration by the HSE Capital Committee.

ENDS

Please see attached PQs from Deputy Brendan Smith

22nd February 2022