Vol. 492 No. 4
12 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients awaiting cardiac bypass surgery; the number who have been awaiting this surgery for less than six months, between six and 12 months, in excess of 12 months and in excess of two years; the arrangements, if any, made by him to reduce this waiting list; and the projected position as at 31 December 1998. [14122/98]
20 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients awaiting cardiac bypass surgery; the number who have been awaiting this surgery for less than six months, between six and 12 months, in excess of 12 months and in excess of two years; the arrangements, if any, made by him to reduce this waiting list; and the projected position as at 31 December 1998. [14123/98]
219 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients awaiting cardiac bypass surgery; the number who have been awaiting this surgery for less than six months, between six and 12 months, in excess of 12 months and in excess of two years; the arrangements, if any, made by him to reduce this waiting list; and the projected position as at 31 December 1998. [14275/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 20 and 219 together.
Cardiac surgery in the public health sector is currently carried out at three centres. Adult cardiac surgery is performed at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital and Cork University Hospital. Paediatric cardiac surgery is performed at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.
Public patient waiting list statistics are collected by hospitals and furnished to my Department on a quarterly basis. At the end of December 1997, the most recent period for which information is available, there were 1,150 patients awaiting cardiac bypass surgery. Information is not routinely collected by the agencies in the format requested by the Deputies. However, I am consulting with the hospitals involved about the possibility of getting data in the format requested and will communicate with the Deputies on the matter in due course.
In 1997, my Department allocated a sum of £1.7 million under the waiting list initiative with the specific aim of reducing the national cardiac surgery waiting list for adults and children. A combination of approaches was used by hospitals to achieve this objective. As well as purchasing additional cardiac surgery procedures, patients were also reassessed with a view to using alternative therapies such as interventional cardiology or medical treatment, as clinically appropriate. 1 am pleased to say this initiative was very successful in reducing the adult waiting list by 203 between September and December 1997.
This year a sum of £3 million is being made available specifically for cardiac surgery patients. As in 1997, the aim will be to reduce the overall numbers waiting for cardiac surgery and it is expected that the successful strategy applied in 1997 will be adopted again. Final decisions on the allocation of the cardiac initiative funding will be announced shortly and I am confident this will have a positive impact on both the overall numbers waiting and the average waiting times. However, I am not in a position to be definite about year end figures, given the difficulty in predicting with accuracy how demand will evolve over the year.
With regard to the development of cardiovascular services generally, the Deputy will be aware that on 29 January 1998 1 announced a comprehensive package of proposals aimed at reducing mortality from cardiovascular disease, with a particular emphasis on premature mortality. Included in this was approval for the development of additional adult public cardiac surgery facilities at St. James's Hospital, Dublin and University College Hospital, Galway, with the capacity to carry out an additional 750 cardiac surgery procedures per annum. The development of these facilities in the next couple of years should result in a significant reduction in the number of patients waiting for cardiac surgery. More importantly, my aim is to ensure that over the next three or four years as a result of this substantial infrastructural development and cardiac surgery waiting list initiative funding, the average waiting time for cardiac surgery will be reduced to six months.
Having approved these developments in surgical capacity, I propose to address the wider issues surrounding cardiovascular disease, prevention and treatment when I receive the report of the Cardiovascular Health Strategy Group which I established in March of this year. The group has been asked to report to me by the end of the summer this year.
Does the Minister accept it is unsatisfactory that, on 16 June l998, he is unaware of any changes in the cardiac waiting list since December l997?
The Deputy will be aware from the Estimate discussions that the figures up to 31 March are almost complete and validated and we will have them shortly.
When will the Minister have those figures?
I presume in the next week or two.
What moneys, if any, have been allocated for the cardiac strategy in Galway University Hospital? What is the projected date for the commencement of building works at that hospital to provide a new cardiac facility?
That is a capital requirement, to which the £3 million does not apply. That is a Revenue figure to cover existing capacity and the purchase of extra capacity. The Galway project is part of the development control plan which I approved some months ago and will proceed as part of the building phase as planned.
What timescale is involved for this building phase? When will the extra capacity come on stream in Galway?
If the Deputy tables a specific question on that matter I will give him a detailed answer. I expect it will be during this Government's tenure of office.
Is it the case that, for political reasons, the Minister announced the provision of extra capacity in Galway Hospital without allocating any resources or giving a timescale for when it will be provided? Does he agree that, to his embarrassment, he was gazumped by his colleague sitting beside him in terms in that announcement?
That is incorrect on all fronts. It is amazing that Deputy Shatter should regard any significant capital investment outside Dublin as being for political reasons. It is not for political reasons, it is for medical reasons in the interest of maintaining regional self-sufficiency and entitlement to the people of the west, as the enhanced capacity in St. James's will improve matters for people on the eastern seaboard in terms of cardiac surgery. The idea that a uniform quality service is being provided throughout the country for political reasons says more about the Deputy's attitude than mine.
The Minister knows what I meant by my reference to political reasons. He is aware I agree with the proposed plans for Galway. However, does he agree he has announced plans without making the funding available to implement them or prescribing a timescale within which he can guarantee the people of Galway he will provide the additional capacity? Is that not the position?
That is not the position. The provision of cardiac surgery facilities is included in the next phase of development at Galway University Hospital. As I announced on 29 January, this has been funded and set out in the strategy. There is no question of gazumping or side-tracking on the issue. We have given a firm commitment on the matter.
What is the timescale involved?
If the Deputy wishes to table a specific question on the matter I will supply him with the information. I told him it will be done during the tenure of this Government.
The Minister does not know the timescale involved.
I do. There is no need to play games. Funding has been arranged for the provision of cardiac surgery facilities in Galway. It has been included in the development control plan which the Government approved. We are very proud of this decision and it will proceed in accordance with the capital programme.
When will it go ahead?
There will be no delay with the provision of the facility. A sum of £43 million has been provided. During the tenure of this Government, which I expect will be another three to four years, there will be cardiac surgery facilities in Galway.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
