Dinny McGinley
Question:184 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people on the orthodontic waiting list in County Donegal; and his plans to improve the standard of service in the area. [3442/03]
Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.
The provision of orthodontic services is a matter for the health boards in the first instance. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that I have taken a number of measures to improve orthodontic services in the North Western Health Board, NWHB, area and on a national basis.
The grade of specialist in orthodontics has been created in the health board orthodontic service. This year, my Department and the health boards are funding 13 dentists from various health boards – including one from the NWHB – for specialist in orthodontics qualifications at training programmes in Ireland and at two separate universities in the United Kingdom. These 13 trainees for the public orthodontic service are additional to the six dentists who commenced their training last year and one dentist whose specialist training is nearing completion. Thus, there is an aggregate of 20 dentists in specialist training for orthodontics. Additional funding of €0.640 million and €0.894 million was provided for these training programmes in 2002 and 2003 respectively. These measures will complement the other structural changes being introduced into the orthodontic service, including the creation of an auxiliary grade of orthodontic therapist to work in the orthodontic area.
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 in 2001 of which €4.698 million was to fund an initiative on orthodontic waiting lists. This is enabling health boards to recruit additional staff and engage the services of private specialist orthodontic practitioners to treat patients. The NWHB was allocated an additional €0.273 million in 2001 for orthodontic services of which €0.178 million was for the orthodontic initiative. This enabled the board to, amongst other things, recruit an additional two orthodontic specialists. Furthermore, the chief executive officer of the NWHB has informed me that the board is currently developing the infrastructure of its orthodontic service.
Last June, my Department provided additional funding of €5 million from the treatment purchase fund to health boards specifically for the purchase of orthodontic treatment. This funding is enabling boards to provide both additional sessions for existing staff and purchase treatment from private specialist orthodontic practitioners. The NWHB was allocated an additional €0.285 million from this fund for the treatment of cases in this way. This scheme has also enabled the board to make arrangements for the treatment of cases by private specialist orthodontic practitioners from Northern Ireland.
The number of cases on orthodontic waiting lists by county is not routinely collected by my Department. Therefore, the chief executive officer of the NWHB has been requested to provide the information requested directly to the Deputy.
The chief executive officer of the NWHB has informed me that at the end of the September 2002 quarter, there were 2,508 patients receiving orthodontic treatment in the board's area. This is an increase of approximately 409 patients in orthodontic treatment when compared with the number of patients receiving treatment in December 2001. I expect that the number of patients receiving orthodontic treatment in the public orthodontic service will continue to increase as the measures that I have taken impact further on the service.
Question No. 185 answered with Question No. 129.