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Health Board Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 July 2004

Wednesday, 7 July 2004

Questions (237, 238, 239)

Joe Higgins

Question:

231 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is no orthodontist working full-time at Millhouse, Ashtown Gate, Navan Road, (details supplied) despite a long waiting list for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20630/04]

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Joe Higgins

Question:

232 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will urgently address the lack of a full time orthodontist at Millhouse, Ashtown Gate, Navan Road (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20631/04]

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Joe Higgins

Question:

233 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will immediately sanction funding in order that priority patients awaiting orthodontic treatment at Millhouse, Ashtown Gate, Navan Road (details supplied) can avail of the treatment purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20632/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 to 233, inclusive, together.

As 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 improve orthodontic services in the Northern Area Health Board, NAHB, area of the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, and on a national basis.

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 — including five from the ERHA. 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.

Orthodontic initiative funding of €2.044 million was provided to the ERHA in 2001 and this has enabled the authority to recruit additional staff and build additional orthodontic facilities. The authority has developed additional orthodontic facilities at Loughlinstown, Ashtown and at the regional orthodontic unit located at St. James's Hospital.

In June 2002, my Department provided additional funding of €5 million from the treatment purchase fund towards the treatment of persons on the orthodontic waiting lists; the ERHA received €1.815 million from this fund. My Department instructed the health boards-authority that the funding was to be allocated on the basis of the following principles: first, treatment of clients longest on the waiting list in accordance with the severity of their treatment need; second, allocation to provide additional treatments over and above what was provided in the normal way; third, efficiency and value for money; and fourth, equitable delivery across health board populations.

The management of orthodontic staff in the Eastern Regional Health Authority is the statutory responsibility of the regional chief executive. Therefore, my Department has asked the regional chief executive to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.

Finally, the regional chief executive of the authority has informed my Department that at the end of the March quarter 2004, there were 3,782 children receiving orthodontic treatment in the public orthodontic service in the ERHA.

Questions Nos. 234 and 235 answered with Question No. 217.
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