Vol. 396 No. 5
18 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Cork has to wait up to one year before he can be seen by a doctor at the Mercy Hospital, Cork and then a further one and a half years before he can have a tonsillectomy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am aware that there are long waiting lists for ear, nose and throat services at the Mercy Hospital. A limited ear, nose and throat service is provided by a consultant employed in a private capacity by the Mercy Hospital. The hospital is examining ways in which inroads can be made on both out-patient and in-patient waiting lists.
The regional centre for ear, nose and throat services in the Southern Health Board area is the South Infirmary — Victoria Hospital. Following the allocation of extra funding for ear, nose and throat services in August last year, six extra beds were opened at the hospital and I am glad to report that considerable progress has been made in reducing waiting lists. Two additional out-patient clinics will be provided at the hospital each week from 8 March 1990 for new patients and by August of this year an average waiting time for new out-patients will be about three to four months. Waiting lists for surgery are also being reviewed and the average waiting time should also be reduced to three to four months by September 1990. In addition, the South Infirmary Victoria has advertised for a second consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon. If this post is filled it will contribute further to reducing waiting times for ear, nose and throat treatment in the Southern Health Board area.
I am anxious that there should be closer co-operation between the Mercy and South Infirmary — Victoria Hospitals in the provision of ear, nose and throat services in Cork to avoid situations such as that referred to by the Deputy. I am therefore having this matter examined.
I am glad to hear the Minister's reply on this issue. Is the Minister aware that the person named would not even be accepted on the waiting list due to the length of that waiting list? Is the Minister now telling me that that person can go to the South Infirmary where service will be provided for him?
The question of referral to a hospital is generally a matter for the general practitioner and, perhaps, general practitioners might be made aware of where the shorter waiting time is so that they would be able to send the patient, if appropriate, to that area. This problem occurs in cities and towns where there are a large number of hospitals as is the case in Cork.
The general practitioner in this case did indicate that a certain consultant in the Mercy Hospital was the proper consultant to go to. The Minister must now be aware of the fact that that hospital will not now accept the person's name because of the long waiting list. They stated that it was pointless accepting the name. Is the Minister aware of anything that can be done urgently to reduce that waiting list with that consultant?
Where urgent treatment is necessary, urgent treatment is provided. Where treatment is not considered urgent people are put on a waiting list. The waiting list is unacceptably long in the area of tonsils and adenoids but I am glad to say that there has been a tremendous reduction in the waiting list over the last couple of months, since the injection of money from the £15 million. For example, in Temple Street the waiting list was reduced from 1,800 to 900. I will bring up the case again with the Deputy to see what can be done. It would not be for us to refer a patient from one hospital to another.
