asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on the waiting list for admission to St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork.
4.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Orthopaedic Hospital.
3.
asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that many patients are up to two years on the waiting list for admission to St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork; and, if so, what proposals there are to deal with the matter.
5.
asked the Minister for Health the number of urgent cases awaiting admission to St. Mary's Hospital, Cork; and in view of the long delay in admission, the alternative arrangements there are for dealing with urgent cases.
7.
asked the Minister for Health the number of beds in St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork; and if he is satisfied that this number is adequate to meet the present waiting list.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 7 together.
There are 183 beds in St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Gurranebraher. A high waiting list has built up for this hospital and the total number on this list at 31st March last was 287. Of these, 44 are over 2 years on the waiting list. To give these in more detail, the total figures on the waiting list include 26 physiotherapy cases many of whom will not require inpatient care, 101 requiring minor operations and 46 others awaiting assessment. The number requiring major surgery on the list is 114 of which 9 are more than 2 years waiting.
This problem has been tackled in a number of ways:
(1) by the appointment of an additional consultant orthopaedic surgeon, who took up duty on 31st March, making three in all in addition to the creation of a further registrar post as well as the existing two;
(2) by improved recovery, anaesthetising and other operating facilities, the two operating theatres in the hospital can be used simultaneously—this work is at present being carried out;
(3) by making available accommodation in another of the health board's institutions for long stay post-operative patients.
These arrangements should have a cumulative and progressive effect in reducing effectively the numbers on the waiting list. But if this does not occur the Deputy may take it that I will consider urgently and with sympathy any well-founded proposal to deal with this matter. I should emphasise that all urgent cases receive priority and are dealt with promptly.
As the Parliamentary Secretary is a member of the northern advisory committee of the Southern Health Board, I have no doubt that he appreciates fully all the problems involved because of the long waiting period in the orthopaedic hospital. Can he give us an assurance that everything possible will be done to remedy the situation?
I can assure the Deputy and also Deputy Spring that I appreciate the urgency of this matter and shall deal with it promptly.
6.
asked the Minister for Health the number of orthopaedic surgeons employed in St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork.
The number of orthopaedic surgeons employed in St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork, is three.
8.
asked the Minister for Health the number of medical card holders on the list of admissions to St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork, in each of the past five years.
9.
asked the Minister for Health the number of medical card holders among those at present on the waiting list for admission to St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork.
I propose with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together.
Statistics of the number of medical card holders on the list of admissions to St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork, over the past five years or on the present waiting list are not available.
However, it may be of interest that, in the hospital catchment area, the percentages of the population holding medical cards average 26 per cent for Cork city and county, and 42.8 per cent for Kerry during the past five years. It is likely that the numbers presenting to the hospital would be proportionately on the same general lines. But I have asked the health board to let me have as a matter of urgency the information requested as to those at present on the waiting list who hold medical cards and, when it comes to hand, I will forward it to the Deputy.
How soon can I expect to have the information?
In a matter of days.
In how many days— two or three?
In three or four days.
Before next Wednesday.
10.
asked the Minister for Health the number of operations for hip replacements which have taken place in St. Mary's Hospital, Cork, in each of the past five years.
The number of hip replacement operations carried out in St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork, was as follows: 1969, 1; 1970, 24; 1971, 53; 1972, 72; 1973, 37 (to date).