I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 230 together.
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 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.
With regard to the Deputy's question, regarding the numbers of patients treated during 1998, I would like to state that my Department does not collect data on the numbers of private patients treated in commercial hospitals. However I can confirm that between the 1 January 1998 and 31 December 1998, 1,146 adult cardiac surgery operations were carried out on public patients and 145 on private patients in the public system. In relation to paediatric cardiac surgery, I am advised that a total of 243 patients were treated in the public system, of which approximately 183 were public patients.
The cardiac waiting list initiative is targeted exclusively at public patients and under the 1998 cardiac surgery waiting list initiative, a total of £2.3 million was allocated for the treatment of an additional 265 public cardiac patients. Due to problems of public capacity, my Department contracted with the commercial hospitals for the treatment of 100 patients. The impact of the 1998 cardiac surgery waiting list initiative was to reduce the overall numbers waiting (adults and children) at the end of December 1998 by 142. This represents a reduction of over 10 per cent on the figure for December 1997.
In 1999, I have made provision for the allocation of £4 million under the cardiac surgery waiting list initiative, I am currently finalising the arrangements for this year's initiative, which I hope to announce soon. I am confident that this will build on last year's success in reducing the total number of adults and children on the waiting list.