Richard Bruton
Question:257 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that waiting times of eight years have been reported for tonsillectomies in Tallaght Hospital. [20780/99]
Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.
As the Deputy may be aware the scheduling of admission to hospital is a matter for the consult ant concerned and is determined solely on the basis of medical priority and therefore, length of waiting times can vary depending on the urgency of the case concerned. However, I am not aware of any reports of patients waiting up to eight years for ENT procedures at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, incorporating the National Childrens' Hospital and I have asked the authorities at the hospital to investigate the matter.
The Deputy may also wish to note that the aim of the waiting list initiative is to reduce the in-patient waiting times in target specialities to less than 12 months for adults and less than six months for children. The target specialities are cardiac surgery, ENT, gynaecology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, surgery (general), urology and vascular surgery. This year the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, incorporating the National Children's Hospital under the waiting list initiative received £447,000 to perform additional in-patient procedures. In addition, in August the hospital received a further £300,000 incentive funding under the initiative as the hospital had achieved reductions in their waiting lists in the first quarter of this year.