Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 4

Written Answers. - Orthopaedic Waiting Lists.

Patrick J. Morley

Question:

100 Mr. Morley asked the Minister for Health the number of orthopaedic patients on waiting lists in each of the health board areas; and the approximate waiting time for patients on the lists in each health board area. [9839/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The total number of people awaiting orthopaedic procedures at December 1995, the latest date for which figures are available, was 6,191 of whom 2,630 had been on the waiting list for a period greater than 12 months. The remaining 3,561 had been on the waiting list for less than 12 months. The following is a breakdown of numbers by health board area.

	Adults 3-12 months	Adults over 12 months	Children 3-6 months	Children over 6 months	Total
Eastern Health Board	1,291	671	18	9	1,989
Midland Health Board	211	490	0	0	701
Mid-Western Health Board	243	318	0	0	561
North Eastern Health Board	295	33	0	0	328
North Western Health Board	272	0	0	0	272
South Eastern Health Board	330	205	0	0	535
Southern Health Board	441	528	13	27	1,009
Western Health Board	411	385	0	0	796
Total	3,494	2,630	31	36	6,191

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 times. 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.