Vol. 468 No. 4
154 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Health the number of extra people on the waiting list at Sligo General Hospital that will be treated this year as a result of his 1996 Waiting List Initiative; the number of extra people who will receive appointments for outpatient clinics as a result; the effect, if any, this will have on patients currently on the waiting list for cardiac surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15202/96]
Limerick East): Following previous waiting list initiatives I have committed a further £7 million in 1996 to continue to reduce waiting times in a number of target specialities where waiting times are considered excessive. The main aim of the initiative remains the elimination of in-patient waiting lists in excess of 12 months for adults and six months for children in the target specialities. Of this amount the North-Western Health Board has received an additional £542,000 to allow it to carry out an additional 615 procedures in the specialities of ear, nose and throat, general surgery, urology, ophthalmology and orthopaedics. Regarding out-patient appointments, the provision of additional treatments for people on in-patient waiting lists will allow the North-Western Health Board to continue to process further people through the out-patient waiting lists for assessment and treatment as appropriate.
Out of the £7 million being made available nationally in 1996, £1 million is being allocated for a cardiac surgery waiting list initiative. The number of patients on the cardiac surgery waiting list has been a cause of concern. The £1 million provided will be used, inter alia, to enable 200 patients currently on the public hospital waiting list for cardiac surgery receive their operations over the next year. Funds are also being allocated out of the waiting list initiative to enable a further 100 cardiac patients to avail of cardiology treatment.
