Vol. 408 No. 1
21 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting list for tonsillectomies in the Children's Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin 1; the waiting time involved; if he has plans to improve this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Towards the end of 1989 I allocated additional resources to tackle the waiting lists for ENT procedures. I am glad to say that significant progress has been made in reducing the overall ENT waiting list for admission to Temple Street. The waiting list has decreased from 1,228 in November 1989 to 439 in March 1991, the last date for which figures are readily available, a decrease of 64 per cent. Almost all of the cases on the current waiting list are for tonsillectomy. The waiting period for tonsillectomy has been halved during the last year.
One thousand five hundred and seventy six ENT cases were treated in 1990 as compared to 1,172 treated in 1989 — an increase of 34 per cent.
My Department and Temple Street Hospital have been discussing the hospital's priorities for 1991 and the tonsillectomy service will continue to be regarded as a priority in the allocation of resources within the hospital.
Does the Minister accept that there are 309 children on the waiting list for tonsillectomies in Temple Street Children's Hospital and that many of these children will have to wait for two years or longer before they are operated on? Does he further accept that there is an emergency waiting list on which there are approximately ten children, all of whom will have to wait several months for a tonsillectomy operation? Does the Minister agree that this is both unacceptable and unnecessary?
I accept that there is a waiting list for ear, nose and throat procedures in Temple Street Children's Hospital, as indeed there is in every other hospital, not alone in Ireland but in hospitals throughout the developed world. Waiting lists are a feature of hospitals and I am not aware of any hospital where there is no waiting list. As I have pointed out, we have taken measures to reduce the waiting list. We reduced it by 64 per cent during 1990. We also increased the number of procedures by 34 per cent during 1990. Therefore, we are moving in that direction.
Does the Minister not accept that the only difficulty Temple Street Childrens' Hospital has in dealing with the waiting list for tonsillectomies is that they need a further permanent anaesthetist and that the application for that position is with his Department? They would need £40,000 to £50,000 for the next year or two to clear the existing waiting lists. Will the Minister not agree that that small amount of money, and one position of anaesthetist, could and should be provided urgently for the childrens' hospital?
In 1988 the hospital received £7.6 million by way of allocation. In 1991 they received £9.77 million, so they have had a substantial increase in funding. Obviously, it is a matter for the hospital within their priorities as to how they spend that money amongst the various specialities. I know they had an ENT surgeon and when his term of office was completed he moved on. Perhaps, in relation to ENT, they might need further support. Certainly, I will look into the question of the anaesthetist.
Would the Minister agree that the problem in Temple Street is just a barometer of the problem nationally with the ENT service which is in chaos? Will the Minister give the true figures, not in percentages, in relation to the waiting list? Will he agree that while there has been a reduction in the waiting list the reason is that many people, out of concern for their children suffering in school, have been forced to go private and take out loans from credit unions, other agencies and moneylenders to have their children attended to privately? If one does not have money one must wait two years for an operation and if one has the money it can be done in two weeks. Will the Minister address that problem?
The question specifically refers to Temple Street Hospital, Dublin. I cannot permit an extension of that subject matter.
I ask the Minister——
A final and brief question from Deputy Gregory.
When the Minister examines the information I gave him today, if he finds it correct, will he ensure that that small amount of money, and the position of anaesthetist, is made available to the tonsillectomy department in the childrens' hospital?
The hospital received £2.1 million more in the current year than they received three years ago. It is a matter for the hospital to decide——
Will the Minister answer the question?
——how to spend that between the various disciplines. As I pointed out to the Deputy there has been substantial progress in reducing the waiting list in Temple Street. The Deputy referred to the fact that there are about 340 children on the waiting list for tonsillectomy. I have given the figure of 1,576 ENT patients treated in 1990, so it is obvious if the waiting list is only 340, there is not a long waiting list. Similarly in the South Infirmary, Cork, we have reduced the list by 43 per cent.
The Minister should give us the true figures.
