Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 Jun 1998

Vol. 491 No. 6

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Seymour Crawford

Question:

189 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people on the waiting list for hip replacement or other replacement treatments in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath for the North-Eastern Health Board area on a county by county basis; if he has satisfied himself that sufficient finances are available to deal with the present situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13058/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Figures collected by my Department relate to the number of people on the in-patient waiting lists of a particular hospital rather than to a patient's place of residence. It would not, therefore, be possible to give details of the number of people waiting on a county by county basis.

The total number of people on the waiting list for hip and other replacement treatments at 31 December 1997 at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, were: total hip replacements, 185; total knee replacements, 27; other elective orthopaedic procedures, 375; the total was 587.

Since the waiting list initiative commenced in 1993, it has focused upon those areas of hospital treatment where long waiting times have caused the greatest difficulty, including orthopaedics.

I have provided a total of £12 million to address hospital waiting lists in 1998. This brings to £70 million the total resources committed to the reduction of hospital waiting lists since the current initiative commenced in 1993. It represents a 50 per cent increase over the funding made available last year for waiting list work.

In addition, I have recently established a review group to advise on how best to maximise the effectiveness of the current waiting list initiative. The group has been asked to conclude its work by the end of June.