Vol. 461 No. 3
67 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the waiting period for assessment and necessary treatment procedures for people awaiting hip replacement operations; the existing waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2829/96]
Limerick East): The total number of people awaiting hip replacement operations at December 1995 was 1,286 of whom 412 had been on the waiting list for a period greater than 12 months. The remaining 874 had been on the waiting list for less than 12 months. My Department does not routinely collect information regarding out-patient waiting times.
Orthopaedic surgery is one of the specialities where additional resources have been provided under the Waiting List Initiative to reduce waiting lists and improve waiting time. The Government has made an additional £7 million available in 1996 to allow work in reducing excessive waiting times to continue and orthopaedic surgery will continue to be a priority area in the allocation of waiting list funding.
