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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 May 1989

Vol. 389 No. 9

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Treatment Abroad.

7.

asked the Minister for Health the number of people who have been sent abroad for medical treatment in each of the past two years; and the reason and cost involved in each case.

In 1987 the total number of cases referred abroad in accordance with the agreed criteria for such referrals was 102 at a total cost of £505,797. In 1988 the number of cases referred abroad was 114 and the total cost was £668,170. I should point out that the costs quoted in many cases are estimated as the final bills have not yet been received.

The information on the individual cases is set out in tabular form which I propose to circulate in the Official Report. If there is any particular aspect of this matter on which the Deputy requires information I will be glad to supply it to him.

1987

Health Board

No.

Reason

Cost

£

Mid-Western

1

Orthopaedic Treatment

2,000

1

Cranio-facial assessment

300

1

Interferon Treatment

20,000

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

100

1

Neurology Treatment

7,500

1

Brain Tumor Treatment

1,500

1

Orthopaedic Treatment

4,700

7

Total

36,100

Midland

1

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

2,000

1

Corrective Cardiac Surgery

20,000

2

Total

22,000

South-Eastern

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

1,500

1

Neurosurgery

3,000

6

Irradiation Treatment @ £2,000 each

12,000

8

Total

16,500

North-Eastern

1

Parkinson's Tremor Patient

30,000

2

Luekaemia Treatment @ £10,000 each

20,000

3

Total

50,000

North-Western

1

Heart Lung Transplant

20,000

1

Irradiation Treatment

2,000

1

Carcinoma of Tyroid

n.a.

1

Retina Blastoma

n.a.

1

Irradiation Treatment

2,000

1

Retina Blastoma

427

1

Severe facial deformity

7,200

1

Orthopaedic Treatment

4,500

1

Liver Transplant Assessment

5,000

1

Axenfeldts Syndrome

1,500

1

Heart Lung Transplant

n.a.

11

Total

42,627

Eastern

1

Fibrosis of the Lung

9,500

1

Fibrosis of the Lung

7,250

1

Osteopetrosis

32,300

2

Distal Phocomelia @ £1,700 each

3,400

1

Leukaemia

350

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

240

1

Spine Treatment

1,400

1

Cardiac Treatment

1,900

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

2,350

1

Congenital Hypoparathyroidism

5,600

1

Dermatology Treatment

100

1

Cardiac Treatment

18,000

1

Cancer Treatment

4,700

1

Bi-lateral Wiles tumor

11,600

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

390

1

Aperts Syndrome

20

1

Respiratory Treatment

3,100

1

Severe combined immune deficiency

15,000

1

E.N.T. Treatment

200

1

Bladder Extrophy

10,300

1

Facial Angioma

400

1

Cancer

4,000

1

Leukaemia

60

1

Osteogensis Imperfecta

600

1

Cardiac Treatment

4,200

1

Juvenile Arthritis

250

1

Complex Vascular Lesion

5,500

1

Severe Pancreatic Condition

120

1

Congenital Blackfan Diamond

200

Syndrome

1

Hypertelorism

200

1

Dermatology Treatment

3,800

1

Onochocercal Filariasis

1,300

1

Neurology Treatment

500

1

Dermatology Treatment

2,800

1

Lymphatic Problem

3,500

1

Alpha—1—anti Trypsin deficiency

1,000

1

Facial Angioma

120

1

Facial Angioma

nil

1

Heart Lung Transplant Assessment

nil

1

Osteoarthritis

5,300

1

Otosclerosis

n.a.

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

250

1

Neurology Treatment

24,350

1

Spastic paraplegia

4,500

1

Neurology Treatment

2,000

1

Osteopetrosis

50,000

1

Substance abuse and associated ner-

2,500

vous symptoms

1

Osteopetrosis

850

49

Total

246,000

1988

Health Board

No.

Reason

Cost

Southern

1

Angiofibroma

1,000

1

Brain Tumour

1,300

1

Malabsorption Syndrome

n.a.

1

Liver Transplant Assessment

400

3

Hepatic Disease

n.a.

1

Spinal Operation

7,000

1

Lithotripsy

2,500

1

Ollier's Disease

5,300

1

Wilson's Disease

870

1

Rentinal Detachment

100

1

Eye prothesis

100

1

Tumour of Spinal Cord

n.a.

14

Total

18,570

Western

5

Bone Marrow Transplants

Individual

1

Cerebral Tumour

costings

1

Blocked Lymphatatics

not

1

Hypertrolism

available

8

Total

74,000

North Eastern

1

Gaucher's Disease Treastment

10,000

1

Leukaemia Treatment

24,000

1

Malignant Hemangiopericytie

Menigiana

20,000

1

Liver Transplant

30,000

1

Heart Lung Transplant

40,000

1

Extensive Pulmonary Fibrosis

10,000

1

Heart Transplant Assessment

10,000

Total

144,000

North Western

1

Severe deformity of Mandible

20,000

1

Bone Marrow Transplant

15,000

1

Bone Marrow Transplant

24,000

2

Cranio-facial Surgery

n.a.

1

Arthritic Treatment

500

1

Chronic Myloid Leukaemia

Assessment

200

1

Paralysis

1,200

8

Total

60,900

Mid Western

1

Orthopaedic (Follow-up) Treatment

1,700

1

Cranio-facial Treatment

10,500

1

Orthopaedic Treatment

10,900

1

Orthopaedic Treatment

3,500

1

Liver Transplant Assessment

6,000

1

Respiratory Treatment

1,000

1

Orthopaedic Treatment

8,900

7

Total

42,500

Midland

1

Bone Marrow Transplants

9,500

1

Diagnostic Assessment

3,000

1

Heart/Lung Transplant

n.a.

3

Total

12,500

South Eastern

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

800

1

Neurosurgery

2,500

1

Radiation Treatment

2,000

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

2,000

4

Total

7,300

Eastern

2

Fibrosis of the Lung @ £1,000

2,000

1

Osteopetrosis

8,000

1

Distal Phocomelia

3,000

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

20,000

1

Leukaemia Treatment

100

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

250

1

Osteopetrosis

3,000

1

Spinal Treatment

1,000

1

not available

100

1

Juvenile Arthritis

300

1

Cardiac Treatment

850

1

Klippel Fell Syndrome

50

1

Intractable Diplopia

250

1

Facial Angioma

nil

1

Cancer Treatment

7,800

1

Dermatology Treatment

50

1

Cardiac Treatment

9,850

1

Distal Phocomelia

6,500

1

Cancer Treatment

29,750

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

450

1

Heart Lung Transplant Assessment

nil

1

Severe combined immune deficiency

1,750

1

Bladder extrophy

2,350

1

Heart Lung Transplant Assessment

nil

1

Facial Angioma

400

1

Cystic Fibrosis

1,850

1

Leukaemia Treatment

2,400

1

Facial Angioma

50

1

Cardiac Treatment

6,650

1

Bone Marrow Transplant Assessment

nil

1

Cancer Treatment

6,000

1

Cranio-facial Treatment

200

2

Severe Confined Immune Deficiency

@ £350

700

1

Ebsteins Anomoly

700

1

Hepatic Treatment

4,750

1

Cystic Fibrosis

1,800

1

Leukaemia Treatment

50

1

Disseminated Neuroblastoma

5,000

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

3,000

1

Neurology Treatment

9,350

1

Severe Pelvic Endmetriasis

1,200

1

Complex Vascular Lesion

100

1

Severe Pancreatic Condition

250

1

Bone Marrow Transplant

28,500

1

Cancer Treatment

3,600

1

Spinal Treatment

50

1

Dermatology Treatment

4,500

1

Leukaemia Treatment

3,000

1

Bone Marrow Transplant

28,500

1

Cystic Fibrosis

4,500

1

Dermatology Treatment

1,100

1

Cystic Bronchiectasis

2,350

1

Onchoceical Filariasis

400

1

Opthalmic Treatment

2,200

1

Melanoma

1,200

1

Cardiac Treatment

1,500

1

Ophthalmic Treatment

4,750

1

Lymphoedema

9,100

1

Genesis of Frontal Bone

7,200

1

Cleft Palate Treatment

150

1

Neurology Treatment

2,000

1

Hepatic Treatment

12,500

1

Malignant Meningioma

3,800

1

Substance Abuse and Associated

Nervous Symptoms

3,500

66

Total

266,250

Western

11

Bone Marrow Transplants

Individual

1

Placement of Artificial Sphincter

costings

1

Cerebral Tumour

not

1

Muscular Distrophy

available

1

Severe Bicoronal Syntonotis

15

Total

124,500

Southern

1

Hepatic Treatment

n.a.

1

Child with Chronic Arthritis

n.a.

1

Fractured Skull and loss of jaw

function

600

1

Naso pharyngeal Angiofibroma

9,620

4

Total

10,220

Can I ask the Minister if people are still being sent abroad for bone marrow transplants and, if so, when will he open the new hospital facilities at St. James's Hospital so that these transplants can be carried out in this country? We have the staff but we do not have the facilities because the Minister is leaving the hospital lying idle. When is the Minister going to open the £130 million worth of hospitals that have been lying idle in this country for up to two years, so that people will not have to be sent abroad?

The Deputy is raising specific matters worthy of separate questions.

A small number of patients have been transferred for bone marrow transplant. Work on St. James's Hospital is on target. The hospital must be fully and properly equipped before it is opened. Last year I provided £10 million for X-ray equipment alone and this year I have provided funding to ensure that the hospital is fully equipped.

On the question of bone marrow transplants in children, I am glad to say agreement has been reached between myself and my colleague, Richard Needham, the Minister in Belfast so that in future, total body irradiation of many children will be carried out in Belfast rather than having to send them to Glasgow as is the case at present.

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