Brendan Kenneally
Question:131 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Health the average waiting period for hip replacement operations in each hospital in the country that carries out such operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Hip Replacement Operations.
The information in the form requested by the Deputy is not routinely collected by my Department.
Paul Bradford
Question:132 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Health the number of extra hip replacement operations that have been completed to date by the Southern Health Board as a result of the extra funding which he announced for such operations earlier in 1993.
The Southern Health Board agreed to carry out 340 additional hip replacement operations as part of the waiting list initiative, 300 at St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital and 40 at Tralee General Hospital.
The additional activity commenced at Tralee General Hospital last month and 13 additional hip replacement operations have been carried out at the hospital to date. The board expects that all 40 additional operations will be carried out by the end of the year.
Delays in implementing the initiative have been experienced at St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital due to difficulties in recruiting a locum consultant orthopaedic surgeon. In this regard, the Deputy will be pleased to learn that I have recently approved the appointment of an additional orthopaedic surgeon on a permanent basis. Pending the filling of the post the Southern Health Board examined treatment options outside its own area for the 300 hip procedures for Cork patients. The Deputy will be aware that earlier this week the board announced details of an agreement reached with the Royal Group of Hospitals in Belfast under which the Royal Group of Hospitals will carry out 300 hip procedures for Southern Health Board patients who are on the waiting list. The option of taking up an early appointment for the hip procedure of course, will, be an entirely voluntary matter for the individual patients concerned.