Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Dec 1996

Vol. 473 No. 1

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Ivor Callely

Question:

24 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the progress, if any, made in respect of reducing the waiting lists for cardiac operations; the total number of patients awaiting operations; the progress, if any, made in respect of the tender for the accommodation of an additional 500 operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24416/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The strategy to deal with cardiac surgery waiting lists has been to provide additional facilities and infrastructure within the public hospital service to increase annual activity.

To date this strategy has resulted in: an additional cardiac surgeon being appointed at the Mater Hospital where the annual activity for open heart operations has been increased by 250 per year to 1,000 per year; an additional cardiac surgeon being appointed to Cork University Hospital to increase the output from 200 to 400 open heart operations per year. The combined effect of this action will be to increase annual activity for cardiac surgery in the public hospital service to 1,400 per year, an increase of 47 per cent.

I am fully committed to the provision of additional capacity including the appointment of additional cardiac surgeons on a permanent basis within the public hospital system over the next two or three years. However, because of the need to ensure that future developments are well planned and to allow sufficient time to put in place the type of permanent, expensive, high cost infrastructure required for cardiac surgery it will take some time before this additional capacity comes on stream.

In the interim my Department has contracted for the purchase of additional cardiology and cardiac surgery procedures from health care organisations at prices which are reasonable and affordable. In 1996, I have provided £1 million for these interim measures.

An examination of the longer term requirements for cardiac surgery is under way. One of the matters to be considered, as part of this examination, is the location of the additional capacity within the public hospital system. I have received tenders from four hospitals for this additional work and these are being examined by a group specially convened to produce a report on how cardiac surgery for public patients could be expanded by 500 cases annually. The group has been directed to report to me by the end of the year.

There are currently 1,630 adults on the cardiac surgery waiting list.

John O'Leary

Question:

25 Mr. O'Leary asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Kerry on waiting lists in all Southern Health Board hospitals as on 31 October, 1996, for hip and knee replacements, dental treatment, including dentures, eye treatment, including spectacles, and admissions for treatment, including surgery. [23888/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The number of persons from County Kerry who were on waiting lists in all Southern Health Board hospitals on 31 October 1996, for hip and knee replacements, dental treatment including dentures, and eye treatment, including spectacles, is listed on the attached schedule.

Information relating to the number of persons from County Kerry awaiting admission to all Southern Health Board hospitals for all treatment, including surgery is not routinely collected by the Southern Health Board. However, I have asked the board to forward this information to the Deputy directly, as soon as it is available.

P.Q. 23888/96

Number of people from County Kerry who were on waiting lists in all Southern Health Board Hospitals on 31 October 1996 for the specified service areas.

Hospital/Community	Hips	Knees	Eye Surgery	Eye testing/ Spectacles	Dental Surgery/ Treatment	Dentures
Tralee General Hospital	68	14	0	0	6	0
Cork University Hospital	0	0	58	0	38	0
St. Mary's, Gurranebraher	3	7	0	0	0	0
Bantry Hospital	0	0	0	0	0	0
Erinville Hospital	0	0	0	0	0	0
St. Finbar's Hospital	0	0	0	0	0	0
Community Based	0	0	0	2,808	265	127