Bernard Allen
Question:431 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to deal with the 5,400 patient waiting list for general surgical procedures.
Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.
Bernard Allen
Question:432 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to help persons on the current 2,436 waiting list for gynaecology treatment.
Bernard Allen
Question:441 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to help the 1,000 people on the current waiting list for paediatric treatment.
Bernard Allen
Question:442 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to help the 800 people on the current waiting list for urology treatment.
Bernard Allen
Question:443 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to help the 760 people on the current waiting list for cardiology treatment.
Bernard Allen
Question:444 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, he has to help the 679 people on the current waiting list for neurosurgery.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 431, 432, 441 to 444, inclusive, together.
Waiting lists for particular specialties must be viewed in the context of the annual throughput for these specialties. The Deputy will appreciate that the relevant factor is the length of time a patient must wait for admission to hospital rather than the number of patients on any particular list. In this context, the Deputy will also be aware that 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), opthalmology (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. In so far as there may be lengthy waiting times for other specialties in particular hospitals these will also be addressed in the context of the Government's action programme on waiting lists.
My Department will be in touch with the boards and the other agencies in the coming weeks and I am confident that considerable progress can be made this year in alleviating the most pressing problems throughout the country.