Vol. 423 No. 1
296 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of neurosurgeons who are working in Dublin's public hospitals; the number of public patients awaiting neurosurgery; the number of public patients who have been transferred to English hospitals and Irish private hospitals for their operations; the average waiting time for surgery for public patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
There are six posts of consultant neurosurgeon at the Neurosurgical Unit at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.
There are currently 634 public patients on the neurosurgical waiting list at Beaumont Hospital.
Since January 1992, I understand that two patients from Beaumont Hospital have been referred to the United Kingdom and three patients to an Irish private hospital for neurosurgical operations.
It is not possible to give an average waiting period for neurosurgery at the neurosurgical unit, Beaumont Hospital, as this depends on the urgency of the patient's condition.
The consultant neurosurgeons regularly review their waiting lists and admit patients based on their medical condition and the need for urgent or non-urgent treatment.
