asked the Minister for Health the number of orthodontists employed by the Eastern Health Board; and the salaries which they have received for the years (a) 1987 and (b) 1988.
226.
Written Answers. - Employment of Orthodontists.
225.
asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the long waiting lists of approximately 2,000 people in the Dublin area who will not receive orthondontic treatment for at least 18 months; the number of orthodontists employed by the Eastern Health Board; and when he will recruit orthodontists to work on the backlog.
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together.
The Eastern Health Board do not employ any specialist orthodontists directly although each dental officer of the health board is qualified to carry out routine orthodontic treatment.
It has proven difficult to attract suitable candidates to the posts of consultant orthodontist in the health board dental service and five of the six posts created, including the post in the Eastern Health Board, remain vacant. I am committed to the direct employment by the health boards of consultant orthodontists as the most efficient method of delivering orthodontic services. With this purpose in mind, a review of the conditions attached to the posts is being undertaken in my Department at present with a view to making them more attractive before they are readvertised.
Because of the difficulties in recruiting a consultant orthodontist the Eastern Health Board have entered into an arrangement with the Dublin Dental Hospital whereby the senior Lecturer/ Consultants from the Dental Hospital provide treatment sessions for Health board patients. In addition, the Dental Hospital is providing specialist training in orthodontics for a number of dental officers from the staff of the Eastern Health Board, who will, in time, be able to provide advanced orthodontic treatments themselves.
The Government recently made a special allocation of £300,000 to the eight health boards to enable treatment to commence on a number of top priority orthodontic cases. Of this amount, £90,000 was allocated to the Eastern Health Board which should enable the board to treat around 200 priority cases.