Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 2

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

53 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children his proposals to reduce the waiting list for children waiting for orthodontic treatment since August 1999 in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22462/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

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 Southern Health Board (SHB) area and on a national basis.

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 SHB was allocated an additional €1.191 million in 2001 for orthodontic services of which €1.032 million was for the orthodontic initiative. The post of consultant orthodontist for Tralee was advertised through the Local Appointments Commission (LAC) on two separate occasions but unfortunately there were no successful candidates. The efforts of the board are hindered by the limited availability of suitably qualified candidates for the post.

However, the commitment of the Department to training development is manifested in the funding provided to both the training of specialist clinical staff and the recruitment of a professor in orthodontics for the Cork Dental School. This appointment at the school will facilitate the development of an approved training programme leading to a specialist qualification in orthodontics. The chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board has reported that the professor will take up duty in December next. In recognition of the importance of this post at Cork Dental School, my Department has given approval in principle to a proposal from the school to further substantially improve the training facilities there for orthodontics. This project should see the construction of a large orthodontic unit and support facilities; it will ultimately support an enhanced teaching and treatment service to the wider region under the leadership of the professor of orthodontics.

In June 2002, my Department provided additional funding of €5 million from the treat ment 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 SHB was allocated an additional €720,000 from this fund for the treatment of cases in this way.

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 for specialist in orthodontics qualifications at training programmes in Ireland and at three separate universities in the United Kingdom. These 13 trainees for the public orthodontic service are additional to the six dentists who commenced their training in 2001. There is an aggregate of 19 dentists in specialist training for orthodontics. 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.

Finally, the chief executive officer of the SHB has informed me that at the end of the June 2003 quarter, there were 3,400 patients receiving orthodontic treatment in the board. This is an increase of approximately 1,100 patients in orthodontic treatment when compared with the number of patients receiving treatment in December 2001.