Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Feb 2003

Vol. 562 No. 2

Written Answers - Dental Service.

Liz McManus

Question:

205 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if progress has been made in the implementation of the report commissioned by the Eastern Regional Health Authority in conjunction with the Dublin Dental Hospital and St. James's Hospital, and signed off in 1998, relating to the construction of a purpose built day care centre on St. James's Hospital campus to tackle the waiting list for dental patients currently referred to the maxillofacial unit, since last raised by Deputy Pat Rabbitte on 23 October 2002. [5803/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The report to which the Deputy refers, Development of Oral and Maxillofacial Services in the Eastern Health Board Region was undertaken by the review group established by the chief executive officer of the eastern health board and adopted by the board in 1999. The report proposed a number of measures for the development of this specialty in the eastern region and in particular: the appointment of a professor in oral and maxillofacial surgery, OMFS; the development of cleft care services; the building of a regional day care centre, incorporating oral and maxillofacial surgery, the regional orthodontic unit and a regional maxillofacial laboratory.

I am pleased to advise that for 2002, my Department provided an additional €0.299 million to the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) for the conjoint appointment of a professor in OMFS between the national OMFS unit at St. James's Hospital, Trinity College and the Dublin Dental Hospital. This is an important step as the professor, once appointed, will give strategic leadership to the OMFS discipline, especially in the realm of OMFS training programmes.

My Department has also funded the appointment of a cleft team co-ordinator and a consultant in restorative dentistry, both of whom are based primarily at St. James's Hospital. The consultant in restorative dentistry forms an integral part of the cleft palate multi-disciplinary team and will provide important coordinated care for patients born with cleft lip and palate and other congenital dentofacial anomalies.

The planning brief for the regional day care surgery unit has been completed and the question of funding its development is a matter for the ERHA in the context of its NDP programme. My Department will have further discussions with the authority on this issue.