Vol. 399 No. 7
47 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the increasing ear, nose and throat waiting list at Tralee General Hospital, County Kerry; and if he will appoint a full-time ear, nose and throat surgeon in order to help reduce the backlog of patients.
I do not accept that ear, nose and throat waiting lists at Tralee General Hospital are increasing.
The regional ear, nose and throat service for the Southern Health Board is located at the South Infirmary-Victoria Hospital, Cork. Additional funds have been made available to Tralee General Hospital to help reduce waiting lists for ENT procedures. The additional resources were used to purchase ENT equipment and to employ an ENT surgeon on a sessional basis at the hospital. The number of children who received ENT in-patient treatment at the hospital last year was eight. Because of the initiatives I have taken, it is expected that 140 children will receive ENT in-patient treatment at the hospital in 1990.
The regulation of the number and type of appointments of consultant medical staff is a matter for Comhairle na nOspidéal as provided by section 41 (1) of the Health Act, 1970 (No. 1 of 1970). Appointments of staff approved by comhairle are primarily a matter for the chief executive officer of the health board.
I understand that the Southern Health Board have no proposal for the creation and filling of a consultant ENT surgeon at Tralee General Hospital.
48 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a waiting list of 11 months exists for new patients who are referred by their general practitioners to the ear, nose and throat out-patient clinic at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12; and if he has any plans to increase the number of ear, nose and throat consultants servicing this hospital.
I am informed that the hospital authorities are engaged in urgent discussions at present with a view to achieving a significant reduction in the ENT waiting list.
49 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are only three beds in St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin 4 for patients with eating disorders; that the waiting list is over six months long; and the steps he intends to take to increase the number of hospital beds for patients suffering from anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders.
Persons presenting to the psychiatric services with eating disorders are treated by their sector psychiatrist and where inpatient treatment is deemed necessary this is provided in their local psychiatric unit or hospital. I am not aware of any difficulty as regards access to these facilities.
I might add that the service provided for eating disorders at St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, is part of the specialist psychiatric service at that hospital and the allocation of beds within the psychiatric unit at St. Vincent's Hospital management.
