Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.
Billy Timmins
Question:
381
Mr. Timmins
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the position regarding a per son (details supplied) in County Wicklow who is waiting for orthodontic treatment; when this person will be seen; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11740/02]
Responsibility for the provision of orthodontic treatment to eligible persons in County Wicklow rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has asked the chief executive officer to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.
Billy Timmins
Question:
382
Mr. Timmins
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the position regarding a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow who is waiting for orthodontic treatment; when this person will be seen; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11741/02]
Responsibility for the provision of orthodontic treatment to eligible persons in County Wicklow rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has asked the chief executive officer to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.
Billy Timmins
Question:
383
Mr. Timmins
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the position regarding children who are on the list for orthodontic treatment in the Eastern Regional Health Authority and have to go for this treatment privately; if they can claim the cost or part of the cost back from his Department; the way in which this can be applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11742/02]
Billy Timmins
Question:
411
Mr. Timmins
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
if, in view of the fact that children have to wait years for orthodontic treatment in the Wicklow/Carlow area, he will put in place a scheme whereby children on this list can be treated privately and that this treatment will be paid for by the health board.
[12029/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 411 together.
The provision of orthodontic treatment to eligible persons in the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) is the statutory responsibility of the authority in the first instance.
I have taken a range of important measures to improve the capacity of the public orthodontic services and place it on a sound long-term footing.
Structural changes are being introduced into the orthodontic service such as the creation of the grade of specialist in orthodontics, the development of specialist training programmes and the creation of an auxiliary grade of orthodontic therapist to work in the orthodontic area.
Agreement has been reached at the Health Service Employers Agency on the creation of the specialist in orthodontics grade in the orthodontic service. This agreement resulted from complex and time-consuming negotiations. The introduction of the specialist grade will have a tremendous impact on the future delivery of orthodontics.
In addition, four dentists from the ERHA commenced their training last October for specialist in orthodontics qualifications. My Department has provided €0.405 million to the authority in 2002 for specialist in orthodontics training. The general objective of these training programmes is to educate dentists to become specialists in orthodontics with a broad academic background and experience in different clinical treatment methods. They are made possible by co-operation between health boards, consultants and dental teaching institutions. Discussions on providing an additional training course to commence this year are also under way.
In order to enable the achievement of greater caseloads, the Dental Council has submitted to my Department a draft scheme to recognise auxiliary dental workers in orthodontics. This grade – to be known as orthodontic therapist – will act as a support to the consultant orthodontist, specialists and other dentists working in the orthodontic unit thus enabling a greater volume of treatment. The scheme is currently being examined by my Department.
My Department has also funded the appointment of a director of specialist training for the Irish Committee for Specialist Training in Dentistry through the Post Graduate Medical and Dental Board. The director has taken up duty and will play a pivotal role in assisting the different agencies involved in dental specialist training programmes.
In the short-term, I have funded an orthodontic initiative to ease current pressures on the system. Additional funding of €6.729 million was approved for orthodontic services last year of which €4.698 million was to fund an initiative on orthodontic waiting lists. Additional funding of €2.971 million was provided to the ERHA in 2001 for orthodontic services of which €2.044 million was for its orthodontic initiative. This has enabled the authority to recruit additional staff – including two consultant orthodontists – and develop new treatment facilities at Loughlinstown and at the regional orthodontic unit located at St. James' Hospital.
Furthermore, under this initiative, my Department is exploring with health boards new arrangements for the treatment of patients, both by private specialist orthodontic practitioners and in out-of-hours sessions by health board orthodontists.
For children who are placed on a waiting list for treatment, the initiatives that I have set out above will bring about an improvement in waiting times and I am considering other options whereby children who have been waiting for an extended period can be treated free of charge privately. There is currently no mechanism for reimbursing costs of orthodontic treatment received independent of the Authority. However, tax relief is available in respect of such treatment costs.
The chief executive officer of the ERHA has informed me that at the end of the December 2001 quarter, there were 3,776 patients in orthodontic treatment in the authority. This is an increase of 488 patients in orthodontic treatment when compared with the corresponding figure at the end of the September 2001 quarter. I expect that the number of patients in orthodontic treatment will continue to increase as the measures in the orthodontic initiative take effect.
