"I welcome the publication today of the PAC Report on Cancelled Clinics and Missed Appointments. My Department and I will carefully consider all of the Report recommendations as part of the formal response to the Committee.
"I share the Committee’s desire to ensure that the Health and Social Care Sector acts efficiently and effectively to deliver high quality responsive services.
"The Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Service continues to be underfunded. I will do all that I can to secure the additional funding required to provide safe, high quality and accessible services for all the population of Northern Ireland. At the same time, I will ensure that every penny that we do have is spent wisely.
"There have been significant improvements in outpatient services in the last 18 months, particularly in relation to waiting times, but also in relation to the number of patients who fail to turn up for their appointment.
"At the beginning of April 2006, some 74,000 patients were waiting more than six months for a first outpatient appointment. As a result of my Department’s comprehensive programme of reform and investment, today no-one is waiting longer than six months for their outpatient assessment, and I have set a target to reduce this waiting time to 13 weeks by March 2008.
"Rates of non-attendance at clinics in NI have fallen in each of the last six years and are now comparable with other parts of the UK. We do not have the highest non-attendance rates in the UK. However, I acknowledge that non-attendance rates continue to be unacceptably high in some specialties and I shall ensure that action is taken to address this.
"There are particular issues in relation to attendance at mental health clinics. I anticipate that performance in this area will improve, but this will take time. Mental health services in Northern Ireland continue to be seriously underfunded relative to the rest of the UK. Improving mental health services is one of my top priorities. I have established a Mental Health and Learning Disability Board and am currently considering how to take forward the Bamford recommendations. But the extent to which we can make real improvements will inevitably be limited by the funding made available to this key service.
"In relation to the cancellation of clinics by Trusts, the Committee report highlights that only some 1 in 50 clinics are cancelled. My Department will continue to take steps to ensure that the number of cancelled clinics is kept to an absolute minimum, but we must recognise that there will be occasions when doctors become sick and therefore a certain level of cancellation is inevitable.
"For this reason, and the fact that there will always be some patients who fail to turn up for their appointments, often for legitimate reasons, the £12million savings referred to in the Committee’s report is not in practice realisable. Some further efficiencies can certainly be secured, but not to the extent suggested within the report."
Notes to Editors:
Media enquiries to 028 9052 0571 or 07919 400248. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
