Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2013
585. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for an orthodontic appointment in County Donegal in tabular form for 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, over 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50201/13]
View answerThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. Orthodontic referrals are generally received via the Public Dental Service school screening programme. At the time of assessment those with urgent clinical need are prioritised. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Information on waiting times is collated by the HSE by region and for the intervals as shown below only. County Donegal is part of the HSE West region. The most recent information relates to the third quarter of 2013.
|
Waiting times HSE West |
1 - 6 months |
7 - 12 months |
13 - 24 months |
2 - 3 years |
Over 4 years |
TOTAL |
|
Patients waiting for assessment |
362 |
301 |
- |
- |
- |
663 |
|
Patients waiting for treatment to commence |
566 |
1135 |
1165 |
1200 |
61 |
4,127 |
