Vol. 541 No. 2
587 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will investigate a situation where it is reported that CAT scanning is not readily available outside the major urban centres and that most hospitals outside of those centres do not have the expertise to deal with head and spinal injuries. [22089/01]
CAT scanning services are available at hospitals in each health board area.
Neurosurgical services for persons with serious head injuries are provided at the national department for neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital, and at the department for neurosurgery, University College Hospital, Cork. A facility for the electronic image transfer of CAT scans is available at these centres to allow for consultation on head and spinal injuries. The spinal injuries unit at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital also serves as a designated national specialist centre for the care of acutely compromised spinally injured patients.
