Vol. 478 No. 7
65 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has had to wait six and a half years to be called to the Adelaide Hospital, Dublin 8, for a hip operation in view of the fact that this person is in severe pain and is practically immobile. [12002/97]
Limerick East): I understand that the person in question was seen in the Adelaide Hospital in October 1994 in relation to a back complaint. On 22 October 1996 and in January 1997 the person attended the out-patient clinic in the Adelaide Hospital concerning her hip and was subsequent placed on the total hip replacement waiting st. The hospital is not in a position to give an admission date at this time. The scheduling of surgery is a matter for the clinical judgment of the consultant concerned, is based solely on the patient's condition and not on the length of time on the waiting list. Emergency cases are given priority. The patient's general practitioner should, accordingly, keep the consultant informed on a regular basis of the patient's condition.
