Vol. 508 No. 2
32 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will increase the number of consultants working in the Southern Health Board area in view of the unacceptable and unsatisfactory quality of the plastic surgery service in the Southern Health Board area which has only two plastic surgeons in Cork covering a population of over one million people. [17314/99]
I assure the Deputy the plastic surgery service provided by the Southern Health Board at Cork University Hospital is of the highest quality, is fully accredited for higher specialist training in plastic surgery and is independently evaluated by the specialist accreditation committee, which is the professional body responsible for evaluating medical and surgical services for training purposes. The service is closely linked with the maxillo-facial service of the Cork University Dental School and Hospital and both services work in close co-operation. The service is a key element in the level one trauma service which is provided at Cork University Hospital.
With regard to the future development needs of the service, the Southern Health Board has identified a third plastic surgery post as a priority and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have provided resources which have allowed this post to be filled in a locum capacity. The Southern Health Board have identified the filling of this post in a substantive capacity as a priority for the year 2000 and I am committed to addressing the priorities identified by the board having regard to the outcome of the 2000 estimates process.
