Olivia Mitchell
Question:127 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans in place to ensure that children eligible for orthodontic treatment receive it within a reasonable timeframe. [18736/04]
View answerWednesday, 23 June 2004
Questions (125, 126, 127)
Written answers
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that I have taken a number of measures to increase the treatment capacity of the orthodontic service on a national basis and thus reduce waiting times for treatment.
The grade of specialist in orthodontics has been created in the health board orthodontic service. In 2003, my Department and the health boards funded 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 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.
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 commenced duty on 1 December 2003. In recognition of the importance of this post at the 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. The health boards/authority have developed a number of additional orthodontic facilities, including new developments at St James's Hospital, Loughlinstown Hospital and Ashtown.
In June 2002, my Department provided additional funding of €5 million from the treatment purchase fund to health boards/authority 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 chief executive officers of the health boards/authority have informed my Department that at the end of the March quarter 2004, there were 21,033 children receiving orthodontic treatment in the public orthodontic service. This means that there are nearly twice as many children getting orthodontic treatment as there are children waiting to be treated and almost 4,000 extra children are getting treatment from health boards/authority since the end of 2001.
Brian O'Shea
Question:128 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children his proposals to provide the €1 million per annum required to introduce the Caredoc co-operative after hours service to Waterford city and county (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18739/04]
View answerBetween 2000 and 2003, €7.124 million was allocated to the South Eastern Health Board for the expansion of their out of hours co-operative, Caredoc. In 2004, €3.492 million has been included in the health board's base allocation for the continued provision of services under this heading. The dedicated funding is exclusive of the fees paid to participating general practitioners.
All decisions in relation to the geographical areas to be covered by co-operatives and the order of their commencement are matters for the relevant health board to make, having regard to the range of financial and other issues involved in any such expansion.
Michael Ring
Question:129 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason persons within the remit of the Western Health Board who have finally come to the top of the orthodontic treatment list are not being treated in Galway; the reason they are being sent to Enniskillen, Northern Ireland; the reason the costs of the travel involved for this treatment are not being paid for from the national treatment purchase fund; if the persons’ families are not in a position to pay for the necessary travel, the position the persons will be placed on the list again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18747/04]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the provision of orthodontic services is a matter for the health boards/authority in the first instance.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that I have taken a number of measures to increase the treatment capacity of the orthodontic service. The grade of specialist in orthodontics has been created in the health board orthodontic service. In 2003, my Department and the health boards funded 13 dentists from various health boards — including two from the Western Health Board — 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 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.
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 of 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 commenced duty on 1 December 2003. In recognition of the importance of this post at the 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; €0.465 million was provided to the Western Health Board for the treatment of patients in this way.
The management of orthodontic waiting lists and the provision of orthodontic treatment is the statutory responsibility of the Western Health Board in this instance; my Department has therefore asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and respond to him directly.
The chief executive officers of the health boards/authority have informed my Department that at the end of the March quarter 2004, there were 21,033 children receiving orthodontic treatment in the public orthodontic service. This means that there are nearly twice as many children getting orthodontic treatment as there are children waiting to be treated and almost 4,000 extra children are getting treatment from health boards/authority since the end of 2001.