asked the Minister for Health when he intends to provide maximum specialist services for the Midland Health Board region; and if those services will be located in Tullamore General Hospital, County Offaly.
Written Answers. - Midland Health Board Specialist Services.
463.
Mr. Cowen
The Midland Health Board area has a full in-patient service at consultant level in the specialities of general medicine, general surgery and obstetrics. The other specialties which might be provided on a local basis are paediatrics, orthopaedics, ENT and ophthalmology. At present these services are provided on an out-patient basis by consultants attached in the main to Dublin hospitals and I am aware that the level of service is less than adequate in some respects. In view of the difficult budgetary situation and the continuing restriction on the creation of additional posts in the public sector I am not in a position to say when a full range of consultant in-patient services will be provided in these specialties.
At present the health board have a proposal in my Department for the establishment of a locally based paediatric service and I have recently indicated my agreement to the board's request for the provision of an elective orthopaedic unit in Athlone. The pace with which these services can be provided will of course be determined by budgetary considerations which I have mentioned above. The health board are currently making arrangements with the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin for the provision of ENT and ophthalmic services for the Midland Health Board area. I have approved these arrangements in principle and I am satisfied that they will lead to a much improved level of service for the area.