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Hospital Waiting Lists.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2004

Wednesday, 3 March 2004

Questions (160, 161, 162)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

233 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the current waiting period for heart or hip replacement surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7259/04]

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Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

234 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the current number of patients awaiting heart or hip surgery; the number of such patients treated under the treatment purchase scheme since the scheme’s inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7260/04]

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Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

235 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the cost to date of the treatment purchase scheme; the extent to which the treatments involved are available here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7261/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 to 235, inclusive, together.

The total number of people on public hospital in-patient waiting lists for cardiac surgery as at 30 September 2003, the latest date for which figures are available, was 228. This includes 78 adults waiting over 12 months for cardiac surgery.

The total number of adults waiting for orthopaedic procedures, either as an in-patient or as a day case, was 3,023. The total number of adults waiting more than 12 months for in-patient treatment in the specialty of orthopaedics was 794, which represents a decrease of 42% between September 2002 and September 2003.

The cost of the national treatment purchase fund to date is as follows: 2002, €5.012m; 2003, €30.057m Provisional Outturn; 2004, €44.00m Allocation.

The NTPF purchases procedures from private and public hospitals in Ireland. Where it is not possible to treat patients within a reasonable period in Ireland, either in public or private hospitals, arrangements can be made to refer the public patients for treatment abroad, having regard to quality, availability and cost. If patients are prepared to exercise choice by travelling to where there is capacity, they can be treated much quicker in many instances. To date the fund has arranged treatments for more than 11,000 patients.

My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the NTPF to reply directly to the Deputy in regard to the number of patients who have undergone heart or hip surgery under the NTPF since its inception.

Question No. 236 answered with QuestionNo. 128.
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