Vol. 515 No. 4
103 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the delay in providing a facility for paediatric heart surgery at Crumlin children's hospital; the number of children waiting for surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6330/00]
There is no delay in providing the facility for cardiac surgery at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, which is the national paediatric cardiac centre. A design team has been appointed and the detailed design of the theatre development is advancing on schedule. When complete, the new theatre development will provide five new operating theatres complete with ancillary accommodation, a day surgery area and a central sterile supplies department. The existing theatre facilities will also be upgraded to provide a further two theatre suites. It is expected that when these theatres are fully commissioned the hospital will be in a position to perform an additional 100 paediatric cardiac procedures, which is a 40% increase on existing capacity.
As the Deputy may be aware, as an interim measure, my Department is funding the purchase of cardiac surgery procedures from appropriate UK paediatric hospitals under the cardiac waiting list initiative, and in this regard £700,000 was allocated to the Our Lady's Hospital in 2000 to continue this initiative.
As at the 31 January 2000, the latest date for which figures are available, there was a total of 96 public patients awaiting cardiac surgery procedures in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children. Of these 96 public patients, 14 are waiting up to three months, 19 are waiting between three and six months, and 63 are over six months.
The paediatric cardiology/cardiac surgery services are under constant review by my Department and the authorities at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children and I am confident that, when complete, the new theatre development at the hospital will be a significant factor in enhancing these services.
