Vol. 402 No. 3
125 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the number and type of consultant appointments that have been requested from the Southern Health Board; and when he will be in a position to sanction these appointments.
There are currently six consultant vacancies in the Southern Health Board area which the board have formally sought to have filled. These are microbiologist, ophthalmic surgeon, physician/professor of medicine, orthodontist, physician in palliative medicine and consultant in child and adolescent psychiatry.
I have approved the filling of these posts. The microbiologist, ophthalmic surgeon and physician/professor of medicine vacancies are in the process of being filled by the Local Appointments Commission and documentation relating to the remaining three posts is being processed by my Department at present with a view to clearing it to the Local Appointments Commission as quickly as possible.
In addition to the above posts, I am also aware that the Southern Health Board are in consultation with my Department with regard to the filling of further consultant posts. The filling of these posts will be considered in the light of the resources available to the board in 1991. The priority attached to these posts is of course a matter for the board.
