Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 7

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

179 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients on waiting lists in respect of major heart surgery; the number of these patients who have elected for this treatment in 1998; the number of patients already on these waiting lists at the beginning of 1998; the number of these patients who have received their treatment during 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24190/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Cardiac surgery in the public health sector is now carried out at four centres. Adult cardiac surgery is performed at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, St. James's Hospital and Cork University Hospital. Paediatric cardiac surgery is performed at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.

Public waiting list statistics are collected by hospitals and furnished to my Department on a quarterly basis. The figures for adults are recorded in two categories, those waiting between three and twelve months and those waiting over twelve months. In respect of children, the figures are recorded in two categories, those waiting between three and six months and those waiting over six months.

In relation to the information sought by the Deputy, I have had inquiries made of the relevant agencies and they have furnished my Department with the following data:

Number on waiting list on 01-01-98	Number added to the waiting list between 0101-98 and 31-10-98	Number who received treatment between 01-01-98 and 31-10-98	Number on waiting list on 31-10-98
1,373	699	1,402*	1,203

* This figure includes emergency patients who would not therefore have been included in the waiting list figure on 01-01-98.

The Deputy may be aware that I recently announced a major package of investment in cardiac services totalling 4.9 million. This investment is made up of two elements, £2.3 million to reduce waiting lists for cardiac surgery patients under the 1998 cardiac surgery waiting list initiative and £2.6 million to meet the 1998 costs of improvements in cardiac care infrastructure to support the cardiovascular health strategy initiative, which I announced earlier this year.

With regard to the interim measures to reduce the public cardiac surgery waiting list, the 1998 Initiative target is to provide appropriate treatment for an additional 265 adults and an additional 30 children. My Department's strategy for achieving this aim involves the purchase of additional cardiac procedures in both the public and private sectors and the treatment of suitable patients with medical cardiac therapies. I am confident that these measures will build on last year's success in reducing the total number of adults and children on the national cardiac surgery waiting list.