Jimmy Deenihan
Ceist:11 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the waiting time for orthodontic treatment for young people in County Kerry; and the proposals, if any, he has to shorten the waiting time.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers. - County Kerry School Dental Service.
Children from the Kerry area are seen by the Southern Health Board's school dental service and are screened for orthodontic treatment in accordance with guildelines issued by my Department. Urgent cases, such as cleft lip and palate, are treated immediately. There is a waiting period of 12-18 months for remaining cases.
There has been a significant improvement in the level of orthodontic services in the Kerry area as a result of the additional moneys made available since 1989. A total of 412 children for the area are currently receiving specialist orthodontic treatment. A further 163 children are on the waiting lists.
A full-time consultant orthodontist took up appointment with the health board in January 1992 and an orthodontic unit is presently being commissioned at St. Finbarr's Hospital, Cork. The consultant orthodontist, when fully operational, will be engaged in the provision of training in orthodontics for the health board dental staff and further improvements in service levels and waiting periods will then be possible.
I agree with the Minister that there has been a marked improvement in this area in recent times. Would he agree that this has been due to the fact that parents have been forced to bring their children to private orthodontists rather than availing of the public service? This resulted in a major imposition on them. The numbers coming on the list are greater than the numbers being taken off. There are 390 cases waiting for assessment and 150 waiting for appliances. Does the Minister consider this to be a proper and adequate service?
I would not agree with the first assertion that the recent improvements are attributable to more people seeking treatment from private orthodontists. The figure for the net throughput is there to be seen. A new consultant orthodontist will be available, together with new facilities which I have outlined. In recent years a growing number of families have wished to have orthodontic treatment for their children. That is understandable. It is a demand-led scheme and I have no doubt that here, as in other countries, the demand will put pressure on the services that they will not be able to meet in a short time.
Will the Minister agree that numbers have been reduced by a number of factors? One factor is that the guidelines for the treatment of children have been changed, resulting in a large number of children being struck off the waiting lists? Families are forced to pay £1,000 or £2,000 for treatment because of the extremely long waiting period. Would the Minister agree that the only way to deal with this appalling two-tier system is by the introduction of orthodontists working on a contract basis for the health boards?
A number of improvements have taken place and I intend to continue making improvements. We have provided £2 million extra in the budget to improve orthodontic treatment. Clearly there will be a huge demand and huge resources will be required. It will not be possible to eliminate the waiting lists because more people will be coming on stream. It is important that the most urgent cases should be given priority. That is the object of classification. In category A, the most severely affected children, there is nobody waiting in any county in the Southern Health Board region.
Is the Minister aware that some children have been waiting four years for orthodontic treatment which private dentists have deemed they need? What does he intend doing about the backlog?
This question refers to waiting lists for orthodontic treatment for young people in County Kerry. I cannot allow an extension of that question.
I have relations in County Kerry.
That is a nice way of circumventing the ruling of the chair.
How many children were struck off because of the change in the guidelines?
I have no information in relation to people being struck off any list.
I have a similar question which the Minister could well have answered with this one.
I would be glad to look at that again to facilitate you, but it does not arise now.
Unfortunately, I will not get my answer. The Minister has shied away from my question.
I give a comprehensive answer to any question allowed by the Ceann Comhairle.