Vol. 473 No. 4
177 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, there are to reduce the long waiting times for patients attending the breast clinic at St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin 4, in view of the fact that delays of more than four hours on occasions are adding to the stress of the patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1509/97]
Limerick East): I would refer the Deputy to my reply of 10 December 1996 to Questions Nos. 46 and 60 of 10 December 1996 which gave a detailed account of a series of measures put in place by the management at St. Vincent's Hospital aimed at reducing waiting times at the breast clinic.
The hospital management has assured me that, in preparing its service plan for 1997, it is actively looking at ways in which services at the breast clinic can be further improved. I understand that the Friday clinics are particularly busy but the efforts are continuing to be made to reduce waiting times at these clinics. For example, I am informed that all patients were seen within one hour at the clinic on Friday, 10 January.
