Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 4 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 2

Written Answers. - Heart By-Pass Operations.

Liz McManus

Ceist:

274 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to recent figures which showed that proportionately more heart by-pass operations were carried out in the private health sector than in the public sector despite the fact that there are one third more public patients; the steps, if any, he intends to take to ensure that such potentially life-saving operations are carried out on the basis of medical need rather than ability to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

Heart surgery for public patients is performed in three locations; the National Cardiac Centre, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Cork Regional Hospital and Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Dublin.

The cardiac surgery waiting list which includes patients from all health board areas is reviewed by the cardiac consultants on a regular basis to assess each patient and to determine the priority attached to each case. The admission of a patient to hospital is a clinical decision taken by the consultant concerned and is solely based on the patient's condition.

Twenty million pounds will be provided in 1993 for a major action programme to reduce hospital in-patient waiting lists. Cardiac surgery will be a priority in the allocation of funds for this major action programme and I will be announcing my decision in this matter in the coming weeks.