asked the Minister for Health if he will make sufficient funds available to the Western Health Board in order to appoint sufficient orthodonists to accommodate the long waiting list of children awaiting orthodontic treatment in the health board area over the last number of years; the total number on the waiting list (i) at the present date and (ii) at the end of 1983 and 1982; and if he will make a statement on his plans to alleviate this situation.
Written Answers. - Orthodontic Treatment.
422.
A post of full-time consultant orthodontist has been sanctioned for the Western Health Board and efforts are being made to fill the post at present. It is considered that the services of the consultant orthodontist with the back-up of the health board dental, staff will be adequate to meet the orthodontic treatment needs of the Western Health Board area.
The health board has furnished the following figures in relation to persons awaiting orthodontic treatment:
|
Date |
No. on Waiting list |
|
31/12/82 |
2,589 |
|
32/12/83 |
3,331 |
|
32/12/84 |
3,705 |
These figures are understood to contain considerable numbers of cases awaiting orthodontic assessment rather than awaiting treatment. When these cases are assessed in the light of the Department's guidelines on the provision of orthodontic treatment by health boards it is expected that the numbers on the waiting list will be considerably reduced.