Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 6

Written Answers - Orthodontic Service.

Richard Bruton

Question:

79 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has received a recent report regarding the waiting times for orthodontic treatment in each of the health boards; the length of time a child assigned to category II will wait in each health board for treatment; if the terms of the treatment fund will be extended to include orthodontic work in order that service could be provided to children in those health boards which face the longest wait; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8575/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

As the Deputy is aware, the provision of orthodontic treatment to eligible persons is the responsibility of the health boards/authority in the first instance.

In June 2002, my Department provided additional once-off funding of €5 million from the treatment purchase fund to health boards specifically for the purchase of orthodontic treatment. One of the general principles governing the scheme for orthodontics was that each health board would use its allocation to treat those cases waiting longest, in accordance with their severity of need. This funding is enabling boards to provide both additional sessions for existing staff and purchase treatment from private specialist orthodontic practitioners.

My Department collects and collates orthodontic waiting list data from the health boards at the end of each quarter. The latest quarter for which my Department has received data is December 2002. The chief executive officers of the health boards have informed me that the number of cases awaiting treatment and the average waiting time for treatment at the end of this quarter is as follows:

Treatment Waiting List

Health Board	CategoryA	Waiting time(Months)	CategoryB	Waiting time(Months)
SWAHB	472		491	18-24
ECAHB	27	3	142	12
NAHB	5		1787
Midland	Nil	No Waiting time	161	12
Mid-Western	Nil	No Waiting time	676	24-36
North-Eastern	6	1.5 - 2	233	18
North-Western	116	21	1034	36
South-Eastern	Nil	No Waiting time	550	13
Southern	Nil	No Waiting time	3328
Western	Nil	No Waiting time	971	42

Patients in category A require immediate treatment and include those with congenital abnormalities of the jaws such as cleft lip and palate, and patients with major skeletal discrepancies between the sizes of the jaws. Patients in category B have less severe problems than category A patients.

Finally, the chief executive officers of the health boards/authority have informed me that at the end of the December 2002 quarter, there were 20,151 patients receiving orthodontic treatment in the public orthodontic service. This is an increase of approximately 2,856 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.