Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Nov 1994

Vol. 447 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Cardiac Surgery.

Edward Nealon

Question:

313 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Health the number of people in the North-Western Health Board area on the waiting list for cardiac surgery by-pass operations; the number of these who have been waiting for over 12 months; and the number of these who have been waiting for over two years. [3494/94]

Edward Nealon

Question:

314 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Health the number of people nationally who are on the waiting list for cardiac surgery by-pass operations; the number of these who have been on the waiting lists for over 12 months; and the number who have been waiting for over two years. [3495/94]

Edward Nealon

Question:

315 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Health the number of by-pass operations carried out annually for patients who do not have the benefit of voluntary health insurance or private means and who solely rely on the General Medical Service. [3496/94]

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 to 315, inclusive, together.

Open heart surgery operation for adults, including coronary artery by-pass grafts — CABGs — are currently performed for public patients at the National Cardiac Surgery Unit in the Mater Hospital, Dublin and at Cork Regional Hospital. At present there are approximately 1,600 patients on the waiting list for open heart surgery.

Since coming into office I have been concerned to ensure the expansion of existing facilities for cardiac surgery in the public hospital sector. In 1993, I allocated a sum of £1 million from the waiting list fund to enable the necessary facilities to be put in place at the National Cardiac Surgery Unit, Mater Hospital to increase the annual throughput of open heart surgery at the hospital from 750 to 1,000 — an increase of 33 per cent. In addition, in 1993 and 1994, I have provided capital funding of £2.8 million which will facilitate the doubling of cardiac surgery at Cork Regional Hospital from 200 to 400 patients each year.

Over 1993 and 1994, I have allocated in excess of £2 million revenue and £3.5 million in capital funds to the Mater Hospital for cardiac surgery and related developments. The development, which was completed recently, includes additional cardiac maintenance beds, intensive care facilities and high dependency facilities at the hospital have support the cardiac surgery programme. These new facilities at the hospital have now become operational and the additional cardiac surgery activity has commenced.

The developments at the Mater Hospital, together with the developments for cardiac surgery at Cork Regional Hospital which have been opened this month, will have the effect of increasing the number of cardiac surgery operations performed on an annual basis in the public hospital sector by 47 per cent from 950 to 1,400.

The information requested by the Deputy relating to the number of patients awaiting cardiac surgery operations from the North Western Health Board area and the number of patients on the waiting list over 1 year and 2 years is not routinely collected. However, I will have this information collected and I will communicate it to the Deputy as soon as possible.