Jim Higgins
Ceist:173 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health when orthodontic treatment will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Written Answers. - Orthodontic Treatment.
The question of the approval of orthodontic treatment for the person concerned is a matter for the Western Health Board. Priority in the provision of other-dontic treatment is granted to children in accordance with the severity of their orthodontic problem. Because of the protracted nature of orthodontic treatment, it is not possible to indicate when the person referred to, who is in the third priority grouping, will be called. The arrangements for the delivery of orthodontic treatment are under review at present and it is expected that the posts of consultant orthodontist for the health board dental service will be readvertised shortly with improved conditions of service. One of these appointees would be based in the Western Health Board and it is anticipated that the filling of this vacancy would bring about a considerable improvement in the waiting times for orthodontic services.
The Government made a special allocation of £300,000 available to the health boards late in 1989 to bring about an improvement in orthodontic services, while a further allocation from the 1990 budget provision of £3 million for dental services brings to about £1 million the additional amount provided for orthodontic services in recent months.