Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 5

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

40 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children his policy for dealing with the problem of waiting lists for orthodontic treatment; if his attention has been drawn to the total number of children and teenagers on waiting lists for such treatment and on waiting lists for assessment and to receive treatment; if his attention has further been drawn to the number of such people now forced to seek private treatment, thus causing extreme hardship in many cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28953/00]

Mildred Fox

Question:

60 Miss Fox asked the Minister for Health and Children when he will address the ongoing problem in relation to orthodontic treatment in the east coast health board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26265/00]

David Stanton

Question:

75 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will report on any initiatives he has taken recently in order to address the issue of the waiting list for orthodontic treatment in counties Cork and Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28954/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 60 and 75 together.

I have long recognised that the waiting times for orthodontic treatment are unacceptably long. Following recommendations in the Moran report, Review of Orthodontic Services, structural changes are being introduced in the orthodontic services to allow the targets set out in the dental health action plan to be achieved. However, it will be some time before the structural changes now being introduced can impact significantly on service levels. Accordingly, I asked health boards to develop proposals to make an immediate significant impact on their waiting lists.

I am happy to say that funds for an initiative on orthodontic waiting lists have been provided by the Government in the current budget. A total of £3.7 million is being provided on an ongoing basis. This additional funding will enable health boards to recruit additional staff to provide orthodontic treatment; provide additional sessions for existing staff; make additional arrangements for the provision of treatment by private orthodontists at approved rates.

Based on the health boards' own submissions I expect that this initiative will have a significant impact on orthodontic waiting lists and waiting times for treatment. The ultimate effect of this initiative will be to increase numbers in treatment by 5,500 per annum. This initiative, when fully on stream and together with structural changes being introduced in the orthodontic service should make it possible for a number of boards to eventually reduce waiting times for treatment to one year. Validation of existing waiting lists will be carried out as part of this initiative.

I am providing a total of £1.610 million to the Eastern Regional Health Authority on an ongoing basis under this initiative for the employment of a locum consultant orthodontist; the recruitment of two additional orthodontists on a permanent basis; the appointment of six community orthodontists, two in each area health board; contracting of services from private orthodontists at approved rates; recruitment of three clinicians with M. Orth. qualifications to fill existing vacancies in the regional orthodontic unit at St. James's; recruitment of 12 nursing and nine administrative support staff for the additional clinicians as outlined above; the commissioning of five additional surgeries at St. James's Hospital which will come on stream early in 2001; new regional orthodontic units are also being established at Beaumont and Loughlinstown, the unit at Loughlinstown is expected to be operational early in January next.

The authority is also pressing ahead with organisational changes in the orthodontic services. Orthodontics will be managed and operated in the region on the basis of three services, one in each area health board.

I am providing £0.813 million to the Southern Health Board on an ongoing basis under this initiative for the recruitment of additional orthodontists and for additional dental teams and support staff at the Cork and Kerry units.

The Southern Health Board is confident that significant improvements in service levels and waiting times will result from these developments.