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THE HSE HAS been criticised for not disclosing waiting list numbers for MRI scans, CT scans and bone scans for the past three years.
Fianna Fáil health spokesperson Billy Kelleher has requested that the HSE publish figures on the number of people waiting for these critical diagnostic scans in hospitals across the country.
The HSE’s response has been similar for each of the Cork TD’s three annual requests: that they’re unable to collate the figures and are working on a system to do so.
In summer 2015, Kelleher was told that the HSE is “continually working to improve, expand and learn from those Key Performance Indicators on which hospitals report” and would begin collecting national data from 2016.
In 2016, in response to the same request, the HSE claimed that it is “continually working to improve and monitor performance” and was “working to establish a system to track waiting lists for a range of diagnostic procedures”.
It said that the reason why it hadn’t been done yet was because “such a system requires significant testing and validation which, in time, will facilitate the production of national data reports … for diagnostic waiting times”.
It added that a pilot programme had been developed to test a method of collecting the data.
This summer, in response to the same request, the HSE repeated its response from 2016.
“It’s simply ludicrous that after all this time the HSE cannot provide this information as a matter of routine,” Kelleher said.
“Every month the National Treatment Purchase Fund publishes validated waiting lists for in-patients, day cases and outpatients across an enormous range of specialities.
It should be given the responsibility for these waiting lists as well since the HSE has proven to be completely incompetent when it comes to compiling and providing what should be standard information.
Earlier this year, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) came under criticism after it looked as though the waiting list figures they published were far lower than the real numbers, and it was revealed that there were two other unpublished waiting lists.
A European-wide assessment of Ireland’s healthcare system published in January also found that Ireland has the worst waiting list times when it came to its hospitals’ accident and emergency units.
The HSE did disclose the number of public and voluntary hospitals that carry out MRI scans, CT scans and bone scans, which was also part of Kelleher’s query.
It included 39 hospitals for CT scans, 29 hospitals that carry out MRI scans, and 13 hospitals that facilitate bone scans.
3 yrs working on a system to collate figures???? Even by HSE standards this is simply to much.
The fact is they don’t want people to know. The other fact is they want to drive people in using private facilities.
15 billion invested into the health service, and as long as the HSE follows neoliberal policies, nothing will ever be seen of this money.
@Dave Doyle: Correct Dave. As Brendan Howlin put it in a rare moment of honesty, if the public system worked there would be no need for a private healthcare industry. A nation suffers for the benefit of the few
@Dave Doyle: all they have to do is email the radiology services manager for every radiology department in the country. It should take no more than three weeks not three years!
I was waiting 4 and a half years for an mri on my hips!!!
@Aimee Kavanagh: Why don’t you get it done privately?
I am lucky to be covered by health insurance. I was told i needed an mri scan so got it with in a week. Was asked when it suited me to go in. A friend of mine hasn’t insurance she was given a 6 month wait before they scanned her. Waiting times in ireland for scans is a joke!
@Rebecca O’Farrell: I wouldn’t say you’re lucky unless work is paying for it. Anyone can have health insurance if they pay for it. Personally, I would prioritise health insurance above a yearly holiday or an expensive car.
Has anyone asked the HSE what they do exactly?
Total incompetence,any other company people would be dismissed.when will someone do the common sense thing and clean out incompetence in the health services.its costing lives.
Got a phone call from St James hospital the other day, to tell me that they couldn’t give me a date when they could give me a date……I said thanks for the phone call and hope I’m around for the next one….seriously
What has Tony O Brien got on the Government. Why is he still here.
@Ian James Burgess: He follows the neoliberal policies as dictated by the government. He is also happy for the HSE to play mudguard for the government.
I am scheduled in September for a CT scan ordered 2 years ago. It was scheduled this past February, but cancelled prior due to the radiologist being unavailable that day.
@Rathminder: Private patient in public hospital in Limerick. CT scan in a less than a month. If you don’t have health insurance you’ve gotta find the money somewhere to go private.
If it was for my child I’d borrow from the devil.
It’s wrong but it could be a fact of life (or death) in Ireland .
@Niallers: i got a C.T scan in Limerick last year public in two weeks. I had insurance and told them as it might speed things up. They said it made no difference and gave me the appointment for two weeks later. It’s a lottery.
I had an MRI done on friday…..on my neck and shoulder….in pain…not life threatening…..waited 8 weeks public in beaumont…..
@Jacqui Curtis-owens: Letterkenny hospital very good also. They have a really new modern dedicated out patient centre for scans in town. There not all bad.
@Gordon Jono Power: is that scanner in Letterkenny for our patients not privately run?
It’s an old saying. You get what you pay for
@FlopFlipU: what are u talking about? We pay billions in taxes on health. This isn’t acceptable.
Waiting 15 months to see consultant for back issues. Went private paying from my own pocket the wait time is 3 days.
My mother got called for a CT scan 5 mths after she had died ! Disgusting
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