Cecilia Keaveney
Question:102 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the current waiting list for orthodontal treatment in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal. [11451/96]
Written Answers. - Orthodontic Treatment.
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:103 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the current waiting list for orthodontal treatment in Sligo Hospital. [11452/96]
Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together.
The provision of orthodontic treatment services in Sligo and Donegal is the statutory responsibility of the North-Western Health Board.
The North-Western Health Board has informed me that there are 295 on the current orthodontic waiting list at Sligo General Hospital and 1,121 on the current orthodontic waiting list at Letterkenny General Hospital.
The further development of orthodontic treatment services in the North-Western Health Board region will be considered in the context of the Dental Health Action Plan, the additional resources available for developments and the competing priorities.
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:104 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health his views on whether visits by an othodontist one day per week is adequate specialist treatment for the people of Donegal. [11453/96]
Limerick East): The provision of orthodontic treatment services for the people of Donegal is the statutory responsibility of the North-Western Health Board.
The board has the services of a consultant orthodontist and orthodontic treatment services at secondary care level are provided at two centres — Sligo General Hospital and Letterkenny General Hospital. There are specially designated departments at each centre with the most modern equipment and facilities.
There are two full-time clinical dental surgeons based at Letterkenny General Hospital working under the consultant orthodontist. At present the consultant orthodontist attends the Letterkenny unit one day per week and monitors the work of the clinical dental surgeons daily by way of a direct video link.
As a result of a recent review of the consultant orthodontist's commitments to training health board dental staff, it is now planned that the consultant will attend Letterkenny General Hospital on an additional day each fortnight.
My Department will continue to assist the North-Western Health Board in the further development of the board's orthodontic service in accordance with the dental health action plan and its requirements will be kept under continuous review.
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:105 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health whether the current waiting lists for orthodontal, grommet, tonsil, adenoid and other such treatments in Letterkenny, County Donegal could be relieved by having an agreement made with Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry. [11454/96]
Limerick East): The North-Western Health Board has advised me that orthodontal, grommet, tonsil and other such services are provided at both Letterkenny General Hospital and Sligo General Hospital. In addition to the approved level of service extra funding for ear, nose and throat procedures has also been provided under the waiting list initiative in recent years.
The board has advised me that it considers that the current service levels are adequate to meet patient needs and has no plans to contract out these or any such treatments to Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry.