Michael Ring
Question:135 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the procedure for placing people on the different waiting lists for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12536/02]
Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.
Michael Ring
Question:136 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children if people waiting on tonsillectomy operations are assessed by a consultant before being placed on a waiting list for treatment; the number on the waiting lists, both routine and urgent and other categories of list in the Western Health Board region; the average waiting time on each list; and the comparative figures for each of the health board regions and authority areas. [12537/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together.
The hospital in-patient waiting times and the numbers on waiting lists for ENT, which includes tonsillectomy, procedures at the 31 December 2001, in each health board area and in the Eastern Region Health Authority area, in the format collected by my Department, are being communicated separately to the Deputy. Individual consultants within the hospital system are responsible for assessing and providing treatment to patients referred to them by general practitioners or through the emergency departments of hospitals. The question of placing patients on a waiting list for admission to hospital is a matter for the consultants concerned, who also have responsibility for the relative priority of individual cases on their waiting lists. It is not open to the Minister to determine the need for hospital treatment or the relative priority of any individual case.