Vol. 539 No. 2
119 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason the North-Eastern Health Board referred a request for the criteria for priority lists for orthodontic treatment for children in their area to his Department; when a person (details supplied) in County Meath will receive orthodontic treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19165/01]
The provision of orthodontic treatment services is the statutory responsibility of the health boards. In 1985 my Department issued guidelines to health boards for referring patients for secondary care orthodontic treatment. These guidelines are based on the degree of handicap and severity of malocclusion which prioritises need for treatment.
The report of the review group on orthodontic services, the Moran report, recommended that health boards use a revised severity index and bring greater clarity to the list of conditions included in the index. Recently my Department discussed these guidelines with health boards and the Irish consultant orthodontic group. The revised set of guidelines are under consideration and will be notified to the chief executive officers of the health boards in due course.
I have asked North-Eastern Health Board's chief executive officer to investigate the position in relation to the case raised by the Deputy and to reply directly to him as a matter of urgency.
