asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the Eastern Health Board to initiate a payments scheme for schoolchildren who require complicated orthodontic treatment and who must get this treatment done privately in the absence of an Eastern Health Board consultant orthodonist.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Orthodontic Treatment.
2.
Each health board are free to distribute the funds available to them between the various services they provide as they see fit. The question of making funds available for the services of private orthodontists to provide treatment for eligible schoolchildren with complicated orthodontic conditions is entirely a matter for the Eastern Health Board.
The Minister is aware that in the absence of health board orthodontists there is a considerable waiting list for this kind of treatment. Does he agree it is important, particularly in an area as big as that covered by the Eastern Health Board, that some arrangements should be made to reduce the waiting list and to treat the children concerned?
At present there is a vacancy for a consultant orthodontist in the Eastern Health Board area. The post has been approved for some time but the Local Appointments Commission have not been successful in attracting a suitable candidate. They are continuing in their efforts to fill the post and the health board are maintaining a waiting list of patients to be treated by the consultant as soon as he or she is appointed. Meanwhile, they are referring a number of cases from Counties Kildare and Wicklow to private practitioners. Generally speaking, they do not use private consultant orthodontists in the Dublin area.
In a number of instances in the Dublin area the problem is that the health board are refusing to make this arrangement. Would the Minister use his good offices to request — if he is not in a position to instruct — the health board to make arrangements for young children to be treated within the scale fees laid down by the Department?
There would be no objection from my Department if, in relation to the Dublin area, the health board could make funds available within their existing allocation for treatment to be provided by private orthodontists pending the appointment of a full time, permanent orthodonist.
I accept that that is the case but the problem is that the board, although presumably also aware of the position, continue to refuse this facility. Would the Minister now request the board to make that facility available?
I am very anxious that there should be no substantial buildup in the waiting list of patients, particularly young children, in the Dublin area and I will get in touch with the board about the matter.
Is the problem in relation to orthodontists due to a scarcity of orthodontists or are the health boards not in a position suitably to remunerate them, with the result that orthodontists cannot be recruited? If the problem is due to a scarcity of orthodontists could the Minister and his Department initiate a scheme of training in order to get sufficiently qualified people?
There seems to be a reluctance on the part of consultant orthodontists who may be doing well elsewhere to take up formal, full time public service positions on a salaried basis. There certainly has been a shortage of suitable candidates but I do not think there is a shortage with regard to training.