Vol. 495 No. 4
249 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will intervene on behalf of a person (details supplied) in County Louth in view of the fact that she has been waiting for an eye operation for approximately 20 months. [20508/98]
The provision of medical treatment for eligible persons in County Louth is the statutory responsibility of the North-Eastern Health Board in the first instance. I have asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate this case and to reply to the Deputy directly as a matter of urgency.
250 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason an out-patient appointment for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 was cancelled; when this person will be given a new appointment; the number of out-patient appointments cancelled in the Mater Hospital per specialty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20509/98]
Each year hospitals are notified of their non-capital allocation and a service plan is drawn up by them and agreed with the Department. This plan sets down parameters for activity for the year and hospitals are required to maintain activity levels within the hospital's agreed parameters. Detailed decisions in relation to hospital spending are a matter for the hospital management. In this regard the hospital's chief executive officer advised my Department last week that as part of its service planning within budget it will be closing beds in the gastrointestinal unit until the end of the year.
As a result of this, I understand the hospital has cancelled 345 appointments in this unit from 1 January to 31 December 1998. I have been advised by the hospital authorities that the only out-patient appointments which they have had to cancel since 1 January have occurred in this unit.
As the determination of out-patients appointments is a matter for the hospital authorities in the first instance, based on a clinical assessment of need, I have asked the chief executive officer of the Mater Hospital to investigate the position regarding this patient. Given the particular circumstances of this case, I have requested that he reply to the Deputy directly, as a matter of urgency.
251 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 will have an urgently required tonsillectomy in view of the fact that he has been on the waiting list for Temple Street Hospital since he was ten months old and is now almost four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20510/98]
As the determination of in-patient appointments is a matter for the hospital authorities in the first instance, based on a clinical assessment of need, I have asked the secretary-manager of the Children's Hospital, Temple Street, to investigate the position regarding this patient. Given the particular circumstances of this case, I have requested that he reply to the Deputy directly, as a matter of urgency.
