Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Feb 1993

Vol. 425 No. 7

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Richard Bruton

Question:

450 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health whether he has completed the compilation of the results of a survey of waiting lists undertaken in February 1992 by his Department; and if he will publish the results of this survey.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

The results of the detailed validation of hospital in-patient waiting lists conducted in the early months of 1992 are as follows:

In-Patient Waiting List by Speciality (31 December 1991).

Orthopaedics	7,272
ENT	5,497
Surgery	5,442
Ophthalmology	4,100
Gynaecology	2,436
Vascular	2,334
Plastic Surgery	2,192
Cardiac Surgery	1,197
Paediatrics	1,100
Urology	890
Cardiology	767
Neurosurgery	679
Genito-Urinary	517
Gastro-Enterology	452
Medicine	228
Maxillo-Facial	213
Oncology	200
Rheumatology	184
Neurology	180
Dental	133
Endocrine	85
Respiratory	65
Dermatology	49
Radiotherapy	38
Rehabilitation	38
Pain	35
Psychiatry	24
Metabolic	21
Gerontology	21
Nephrology	16
Thoracic	12
Haematology	4
Total	36,421

The total number of patients awaiting treatment must be viewed in the context of a total throughput of patients in 1991 of 666,500.

The Government has allocated £20 million for a major action programme to reduce waiting times in the areas of orthopaedic surgery (hip replacement and other procedures), ophthalmology (cataract), ear, nose and throat surgery, cardiac surgery (by-pass operations), vascular surgery (varicose veins) and plastic surgery. The Government objective is to eliminate waiting lists in excess of 12 months in these specialties, and to set a maximum period of 6 months for children awaiting ENT or eye treatment.