Paul McGrath
Question:104 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will arrange for the admission of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath to Beaumont Hospital as soon as possible. [15823/00]
Vol. 520 No. 4
104 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will arrange for the admission of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath to Beaumont Hospital as soon as possible. [15823/00]
107 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will take urgent steps to have a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath, who is currently in need of urgent treatment and is a patient at Tullamore General Hospital, admitted to Beaumont Hospital for an urgent operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15826/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 107 together.
The responsibility for the provision of services at Beaumont Hospital is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority in the first instance. My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the authority to investigate the matter raised by the Deputies and to reply directly to them as a matter of urgency.
105 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the waiting time for tonsil removals in the South-Eastern Health Board Region at Ardkeen Hospital, Waterford is between three and four years; his views on whether this delay causes serious damage to the health of the person waiting; and the plans he has to cut back on this delay. [15824/00]
The provision of medical treatment in this instance is the statutory responsibility of the South-Eastern Health Board. In-patient waiting list statistics are routinely collected by my Department. There were 235 patients waiting ENT procedures including tonsillectomies at 31 March 2000. In relation to the waiting list position in the south east region, the board has advised me that any patient who requires urgent medical treatment will be provided with that treatment as a matter of priority. I am sure the Deputy will be aware that the prioritisation of medical treatment is a matter for the consultant concerned in the first instance.