Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 8 Jul 1993

Vol. 433 No. 7

Written Answers. - Cardiac Surgery Waiting Lists.

Godfrey Timmins

Question:

23 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Health the frequency with which the heart by-pass waiting lists are updated and validated; the number of patients on the waiting lists who did not reply to the latest validation queries from the consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Frank Crowley

Question:

25 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Health the frequency with which the heart by-pass waiting lists are updated and validated; the number of patients on the waiting lists who did not reply to the latest validation queries from the consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

I propose to take Question Nos. 23 and 25 together. Cardiac surgery for public patients is carried out in three locations: the National Cardiac Surgery Unit, Mater Hospital, Dublin, Cork Regional Hospital and Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin.

The cardiac surgery waiting lists are validated and updated at least on a quarterly basis. The number of patients who did not reply to the letters sent by the consultants to determine whether they wish to remain on the lists in the last validation exercise is 30.

The ongoing review and validation of the cardiac surgery waiting lists ensures that comprehensive and reliable data on patients awaiting this treatment is readily available.

I am pleased to inform the Deputies that I have allocated a sum of £1 million in 1993 to increase throughput of open heart surgery at the Mater Hospital which will bring the annual capacity up to 1,000 open heart operations per year.

I am also providing for a doubling of capacity for cardiac surgery at Cork Regional Hospital from 200 to 400 patients. The combined increased capacity in both Dublin and Cork will mean a new national annual throughput of 1,400 cases in the public sector which represents an increase of 47 per cent on current capacity.