Written Answers. - Hospital Services.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
206
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the number of children eligible for orthodontic treatment in the past five years who had to seek treatment privately; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27786/03]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
207
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the number of children deemed to be in need of orthodontic treatment over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27787/03]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
208
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the number of children likely to receive orthodontic treatment in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27788/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 to 208, inclusive, together.
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.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that I have taken a number of measures to improve orthodontic services 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 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. Thus there is an aggregate of 19 public service dentists currently in training for specialist in orthodontics qualifications. 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.
Furthermore, 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 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.
Orthodontic initiative funding of €4.698 million was provided to the health boards-authority in 2001 and this has enabled health boards to recruit additional staff, engage the services of private specialist orthodontic practitioners to treat patients and build additional orthodontic facilities.
In June 2002, 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 number of children deemed to be in need of orthodontic treatment over the next 12 months will be established by reference to orthodontic guidelines applied by health board-authority orthodontists when assessing children's priority of need for treatment. The information requested by the Deputy on the number of children eligible for orthodontic treatment in the past five years who sought treatment privately is not available.
The chief executive officers of the health boards-authority have informed me that at the end of the September quarter 2003 there were 20,784 children receiving orthodontic treatment in the public orthodontic service. This compares with 20,151 children receiving treatment at the end of December 2002. I expect that the number of children getting orthodontic treatment from the health boards-authority will continue to increase over time as the measures that I have put in place take effect.
