Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Jun 2001

Vol. 539 No. 1

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Michael Finucane

Question:

247 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people in the Mid-Western Health Board area who are on the waiting list for heart operations; the average length of time on the waiting list; and the age category of the people on the waiting list. [18695/01]

Michael Finucane

Question:

248 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people in the Mid-Western Health Board area who are on a waiting list; the average length of time on each waiting list; and the age category of the people on waiting lists. [18696/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together.

National waiting list information is collated by my Department from data supplied by health agencies and is broken down by the total number of adults and children waiting for procedures at the hospitals within their respective areas. Cardiac surgery is performed in three Dublin hospitals and at Cork University Hospital. The total number waiting for cardiac surgery at 31 December 2000, the latest date for which figures are available, was 545. The waiting times were as follows:

Cardiac Surgery	All procedures
Adults 3-12 months	232
Adults 12 months and over	270
Children 3-6 months	14
Children 6 months and over	29
Total on Waiting List	545

The hospital in-patient waiting times for target specialities and the numbers on waiting lists in the Mid-Western Health Board area as at 31 December 2000 are as follows:

Specialty	Adults 3-12 months	Adults 12 months and over	Children 3-6 months	Children 6 months and over	Total onWaiting List
E.N.T.	73	33	22	11	139
Gynaecology	36	1	0	0	37
Ophthalmology	257	100	7	28	392
Orthopaedics	74	106	0	0	180
Surgery	91	5	0	0	96
Vascular	8	1	0	0	9
Total	539	246	29	39	853