(South Tipperary) asked the Minister for Health if he will give a list of health authorities (a) employing one county surgeon and (b) where there is a combined position of physician-obstetrician.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Medical Staffs.
5.
I presume the reference in the question to "one county surgeon" is to those health authority areas in which the surgical services in the County Hospital are provided by a county surgeon without, normally, the assistance of doctors above the rank of Registrar. There are 18 such areas, viz. Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laoighis, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary (NR), Tipperary (SR), Waterford, Westmeath and Wexford.
As regards the second part of the question, I should explain that a combined post, designated physician-obstetrician, does not exist in the local health services. The position is that normally a county physician, or a medical officer of a district hospital which has maternity accommodation, provides, as part of his duties, medical and obstetrical care and treatment for patients in the county hospital or the district hospital concerned. In certain health authority areas, however, there are special posts of obstetrician-gynaecologist. These areas are Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, which cover the city and county, and the counties of Galway, Donegal and Sligo/Leitrim.