Bernard Allen
Question:290 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the steps he proposes to take to alleviate the waiting lists for open heart surgery which has now reached a total of 550 and is climbing steadily.
Written Answers. - Surgery Waiting Lists.
There are two major centres in the State where open heart surgery is performed — the Mater Hospital, Dublin and Cork Regional Hospital. There have been no significant increases in the waiting list at Cork. Due to a change in medical practice by the consultants concerned, and not any budgetary factor, there has been a reduction in the number of coronary artery by-pass grafts carried out at the Mater Hospital with a consequent rise in the numbers awaiting treatment.
Officials from my Department have held a number of discussions with the hospital and the consultants concerned with a view to restoring the activity at the Cardiac Surgery Department of the Mater Hospital to its previous level and I expect that these arrangements will be agreed very shortly.