asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the orthopaedic services in the country provided in hospitals, with specific reference to the number of hospitals with such specialities; the location of such; the number of consultants appointed and operating at present; the way in which these services compare with the recommendations of Comhairle na nOspidéal for orthopaedic consultant appointments; the present capacity of operating theatres for orthopaedic services; if he will give a breakdown of the current waiting lists for the different types of elective orthopaedic surgery work such as hip replacements; the proposals he has to improve access to these services; and if he has satisfied himself regarding the present position.
Written Answers. - Orthopaedic Services.
68.
The following ten hospitals provide orthopaedic services which are solely or significantly of an elective nature: St. Mary's, Cappagh, County Dublin; St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork; St. Nessan's Hospital, Croom, County Limerick; Adelaide Hospital, Dublin; Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway; Our Lady of Lourdes Orthopaedic Hospital, Kilcreene, County Kilkenny; Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath; Tralee Regional Hospital, County Kerry; Tullamore General Hospital, County Offaly and Sligo General Hospital, Sligo.
In addition, orthopaedic services for patients in trauma are available in all general hospitals providing accident and emergency services, or in the adjacent specialist orthopaedic hospitals.
The approved number of consultant orthopaedic surgeon posts is 46, of which 44 are filled. This level of staffing is in line with the manpower norms recommended by Comhairle na nOspidéal of one orthopaedic surgeon per 70,000 of population.
There is sufficient theatre capacity to support the existing level of activity. Two new additional operating theatres are being provided at Cappagh and will be completed later this year. Approval has been given to the planning of additional theatres at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny: the provision of these theatres will create additional capacity for elective work at Kilcreene Orthopaedic Hospital.
It is not possible, at this stage, to provide the information requested by the Deputy. However, in relation to waiting lists my Department are undertaking a detailed survey of elective orthopaedic services and the type of information sought by the Deputy is being collected and analysed.
The preliminary results indicate that the number of hip operations nationally increased by about 10 per cent between 1985 and 1988. The number of knee operations remained steady and the waiting lists for these operations decreased. Because of increased demand both for first and replacement operations, the waiting list for hip operations has increased. It will be necessary to carry out a detailed analysis of the initial results before a precise figure can be supplied as there are some indications that there is duplication between lists and differing criteria with regard to the inclusion of patients on the waiting lists.
In addition to the provision of the new operating theatres already mentioned, new and additional equipment will be made available this year at the Adelaide and Meath Hospitals; an additional consultant post has been approved in respect of south-east Dublin; and additional funding of £200,000 has been made available to Cappagh to support a higher level of activity during 1989. Purchasing procedures have been streamlined to enable additional prostheses to be acquired out of existing resources. Discussions are taking place with the Arthritis Foundation of Ireland to explore possibilities for future co-operation which would further enhance the services available to patients.
I regard the expansion of elective orthopaedic facilities as a priority and I will continue to have that priority reflected in the allocation of resources.