Vol. 406 No. 3
104 Mr. T. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a waiting list in excess of one year for out-patient orthopaedic appointments at Cork Regional Hospital; and when a person (details supplied) in Cork will be called for examination.
I have had inquiries made with the Southern Health Board in connection with this case. The board have no record of this case. I would suggest that the person concerned or his general practitioner should make contact immediately with an orthopaedic surgeon. I am of course aware of the waiting list referred to by the Deputy. However, I should explain that the admission of a patient to hospital is a clinical decision for the consultant in charge of the case. Patients are given priority in accordance with medical criteria and their position on the waiting list and it is open to general practitioners to stress the urgency of an individual case to the consultant concerned.
