Government outlines new plan to reduce hospital waits
The Department of Health has released updated figures on hospital waiting lists alongside the 2026 Waiting Time Action Plan. This strategy aims to shorten patient wait times and enhance access to scheduled care across Ireland’s acute hospitals.
Source:
Gov.ie / MerrionStreet
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⏱️ 1 min read
The latest hospital waiting list figures were published today by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), highlighting ongoing efforts to reduce delays in patient care. Since the multi-annual Action Plan began in September 2021, there has been a significant 48% decrease in patients waiting over 12 months, equating to approximately 136,600 fewer people on long waits. Additionally, the Weighted Average Wait Time has improved by around 43%, or 5.3 months, demonstrating meaningful progress in reducing waiting periods.
Despite these successes, the health service faces challenges from rising demand and increased referrals, which have somewhat counterbalanced the higher activity levels in hospitals. The Department of Health emphasises continued collaboration with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the NTPF through the Waiting Time Task Force to implement the comprehensive Waiting Time Action Plan (WTAP) 2026.
WTAP 2026 comprises 36 targeted actions grouped under three themes: Reforming Planned Care, Enabling Planned Care, and Capacity Optimisation. Initiatives include centralised referrals, pooled waiting lists, expansion of virtual wards, enhanced features in the HSE Health App, and increased surgical hub activity. These reforms aim to meet Sláintecare’s targets of 10 weeks for outpatient appointments and 12 weeks for inpatient procedures, improving patient outcomes and aligning with international best practices.
Despite these successes, the health service faces challenges from rising demand and increased referrals, which have somewhat counterbalanced the higher activity levels in hospitals. The Department of Health emphasises continued collaboration with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the NTPF through the Waiting Time Task Force to implement the comprehensive Waiting Time Action Plan (WTAP) 2026.
WTAP 2026 comprises 36 targeted actions grouped under three themes: Reforming Planned Care, Enabling Planned Care, and Capacity Optimisation. Initiatives include centralised referrals, pooled waiting lists, expansion of virtual wards, enhanced features in the HSE Health App, and increased surgical hub activity. These reforms aim to meet Sláintecare’s targets of 10 weeks for outpatient appointments and 12 weeks for inpatient procedures, improving patient outcomes and aligning with international best practices.
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