Vol. 417 No. 7
153 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of persons, by category, awaiting orthodontic treatment in the Western Health Board area at the present; the allocation made available to deal with these lists for 1992; the average waiting period at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Western Health Board provide secondary care orthodontic treatment for children who have severe orthodontic conditions. Children requiring treatment are assessed and prioritised in accordance with guidelines issued by my Department.
I understand from the Western Health Board that there are no children in Category A, the category of greatest severity, currently awaiting treatment. There are 1,253 children in Category B and 659 children in Category C.
Children who have been assessed as Category A receive immediate treatment and the Western Health Board are drawing up a programme to deal with those in Categories B and C as a priority. In this context I might mention that it is expected that an appointment of a consultant orthodontist will be made by the board within the next few months.
Additional funds have been made available by my Department to the Western Health Board specifically for the development of specialist orthodontic services and adult dental services. In 1991 £374,500 was provided to the board specifically for these services and the board's allocation for 1992 includes a repeat of this special provision so as to permit the board to provide continuing orthodontic treatment for cases begun before 1992 and for the commencement of new cases in 1992. These additional funds have enabled the board to make significant improvements in services. The latest returns available to my Department show that the board was able to provide secondary care orthodontic treatment for 849 children in 1991.
