Vol. 486 No. 3
165 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the improvements, if any, which have been put in place in the last three months in relation to orthodontic services as operated in Saint Finbarr's Hospital, Cork; the recommended improvements, if any, which have not been put in place; the plans, if any, he has for making these improvements; and the time scale involved. [2859/98]
166 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number who are currently awaiting assessment at Saint Finbarr's Hospital, Cork in relation to orthodontic services provided under the auspices of the Southern Health Board; and the longest period that a person has been waiting for this assessment. [2860/98]
167 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients, refered by school dentists to Saint Finbarr's Hospital, Cork for orthodontic services and who spent time on the waiting list for assessment , who were deemed ineligible for orthodontic treatment in the last four months because they did not qualify for this treatment under the guidelines issued by his Department. [2861/98]
168 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients who are awaiting treatment for orthodontic services in Saint Finbarr's Hospital, Cork; and the longest period that a patient, following assessment, is awaiting this treatment. [2862/98]
175 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number currently awaiting assessment for orthodontic treatment at Saint Finbarr's Hospital, Cork; the number awaiting treatment at that clinic; the progress, if any, that has been made in order to shorten these lists over the last four months; if the extra staff appointments, which were promised earlier in the year, have been made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2428/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 165, 166, 167, 168 and 175 together.
The provision of orthodontic services to eligible children at Saint Finbarr's Hospital, Cork and the maintenance of waiting lists is the statutory responsibilty of the Southern Health Board.
I have been advised by the Southern Health Board that the current number of patients awaiting assessment at the orthodontic unit at Saint Finbarr's Hospital is 5,915 while the number awaiting treatment at that hospital is 2,432.
Children in Category A, the category of greatest need, receive immediate treatment. For other children on the treatment waiting lists the waiting period for treatment is approximately two years.
The waiting time for assessment varies, depending on the community care area in which they are resident. The waiting period for assessment in south Lee, north Lee and west Cork is approximately two years. The waiting period for Kerry community care area is approximately six to nine months and north Cork three months approximately.
Some 211 children were deemed ineligible for treatment following assessment in the four months September to December 1997 in the south Lee and Cork city community care areas.
The Southern Health Board agreed to the appointment of a Senior Registrar on a sessional basis at the end of 1997. A Senior Registrar is now to commence working with the board enabling an increase in the number of outreach clinics being provided by the board. As a result the board will now be commencing regular clinics in west Cork which up to now have not had such a service.
The position of Registrar was also advertised by the board but regrettably there were no applications and the board is now making arrangements to fill this position by seconding a Dental Surgeon to the unit. The board is confident that these appointments will enable an improvement in the overall orthodontic service.
