Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 6

Written Answers - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Enda Kenny

Question:

302 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients awaiting treatment for orthopaedic operations for each county in Connacht in each of the past three years; the waiting period before operations can be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23442/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Figures collected by my Department relate to the numbers of people on in-patient hospital waiting lists rather than to the patient's place of residence. It would not therefore be possible to give the Deputy a breakdown of the number of persons from each county in Connacht currently on waiting lists.

The counties of Connacht fall within the area of responsibility of two different health boards, that is counties Roscommon, Mayo and Galway to the Western Health Board and Sligo and Leitrim to the North-Western Health Board. The information set out in the following table relates to all adults and children waiting for more than three months for orthopaedic procedures in each of the health boards. The Deputy should note that the figures for the North-Western Health Board would include persons resident in Donegal.

Health Board	June 1998	December 1997	December 1996
North-Western	321	320	243
Western	473	580	476