Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Mary O'Rourke

Question:

250 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the financial allocation to each health board under the waiting list initiative; the criteria under which these allocations were made; and the population per health board area. [16009/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The details of the financial allocation to each health board area under the 1996 waiting list initiative and the population per health board area in 1991, the latest date for which figures are available, are set out on the table below:

Health Board Areas	Allocation	Population
	£
Eastern Health Board	2,911,355	1,245,225
Midland Health Board	188,725	202,984
Mid-Western Health Board	470,000	310,728
North-Eastern Health Board	295,020	300,183
North-Western Health Board	542,000	208,174
South-Eastern Health Board	480,000	383,188
Southern Health Board	581,000	532,263
Western Health Board	531,900	342,974
Totals	6,000,000	3,525,719

The criteria under which these allocations were made to the various agencies as follows: record of achievement of the individual agency in reducing waiting times under previous waiting list initiatives; investment already made in designated specialities since waiting list initiative commenced; waiting times for patients who need procedures; price per procedure; size of fund available; and ease of access for treatment.

The waiting list initiative commenced in June 1993 when the Government provided £20 million to reduce waiting times in a number of target specialties where waiting times are considered excessive. The sum of £10 million was provided in 1994 and a further £8 million was provided in 1995. Since the first initiative commenced the total in-patient waiting list has been reduced from 40,130 in June 1993 to 27,752 in December 1995 which represents an overall reduction of 12,378 or 31 per cent over a period of 30 months.

Noel Treacy

Question:

251 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Minister for Health the total number of people on waiting lists in the health board areas, for all hospitals and other such institutions under all procedures on 1 January 1995, 1 January 1996 and 20 July 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16021/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The number of patients on hospital waiting lists in each health board area, for all hospitals and other such institutions under all procedures on 31 December 1994 and 31 December 1995, are set out on the attached tables. Waiting list figures are collected by my Department on a quarterly basis and, therefore, there are no figures available for 20 July 1996.

In June 1993, when the first waiting list initiative commenced, the total in-patient waiting list for specialties was 40,130. By 31 December 1995, this figure had been reduced to 27,752. Since it commenced the initiative has reduced the overall in-patient waiting list figure by 12,378 or 31 per cent over a period of 30 months. The Government has made an additional £7 million available in 1996 to allow work in reducing excessive waiting times to continue.

Total Public In-Patient Waiting Lists at 31 December 1994.

	Eastern	Midland	Mid-Western	North-Eastern	North-Western	South-Eastern	Southern	Western	Total
Cardiac Surgery	1,548						64		1,612
Cardiology	929						63		992
Dental	25		97						122
Dermatology	41						2		43
E.N.T.	1,164	104	219	102	545	332	121	276	2,863
Endocrine	66						10		76
Gastro-Enterology	118		10				20		148
Gerontology	5								5
Gynaecology	502	29	100	22	100	345	295	60	1,453
Haematology	7								7
Maxillo-Facial	159								159
Medicine	58								58
Nephrology	47								47
Neurology	87								87
Neurosurgery	338						3		341
Oncology	4								4
Opthalmology	980		393		201	45	136	432	2,187
Orthopaedics	2,075	342	499	331	284	1,003	940	508	5,982
Pain	70								70
Plastic Surgery	772						168	172	1,112
Psychiatry	12								12
Rehabilitation	63								2,835
Respiratory	34								34
Rheumatology	22						11		33
Surgery	873	74	292	179	573	335	245	197	2,768
Thoracic	24								24
Urology	408				223	3	592	402	1,628
Vascular	1,250	15	5	0	80	256	240	59	1,905
Sum	11,681	564	1,615	634	2,006	2,319	2,910	2,106	23,835

Total Public In-Patient Waiting Lists at 31 December 1995.

	Eastern	Midland	Mid-Western	North-Eastern	North-Western	South-Eastern	Southern	Western	Total
Cardiac Surgery	1,701						116		1,817
Cardiology	845						29		874
Dental	43		184						227
Dermatology	15						8		23
E.N.T.	2,049	485	119	214	488	652	359	327	4,693
Endocrine	30						4		34
Gastro-Enterology	104		4						108
Gerontology	1					5			6
Gynaecology	685	40	196	24	135	502	481		2,063
Haematology	3								3
Maxillo-Facial	299								299
Medicine	56		4	6					66
Nephrology	74								74
Neurology	89								89
Neurosurgery	286						29		315
Oncology	6								6
Opthalmology	1,095		470		98	88	197	311	2,259
Orthopaedics	1,989	561	701	328	272	535	1,009	796	6,191
Pain	102								102
Plastic Surgery	940						233	247	1,420
Psychiatry	23								23
Respiratory	71								71
Rheumatology	28							4	32
Surgery	834	148	278	278	286	613	351	191	2,979
Thoracic	36								36
Urology	629				146	9	257	388	1,429
Vascular	1,640	11	42	44	104	233	334	105	2,513
Sum	13,673	1,245	1,998	894	1,529	2,637	3,407	2,369	27,752