Jim Higgins
Ceist:38 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health whether the waiting time for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo for a hip replacement is reasonable in view of the patient's condition.
Ceisteanna—Questions Written Answers. - Hip Replacement.
The scheduling of appointments for assessment at out-patient clinics is a matter for the patient's consultant. Should a patient be concerned about his or her condition, they should return to their general practitioner who would be in the best position to emphasise the urgency of the case to the consultant concerned.
The Deputy will be aware that the Western Health Board received an allocation of £2,192,600 under the recent waiting list initiative (the highest amount given to any of the health agencies) and, as a result, has contracted to perform an additional 160 orthopaedic procedures at Merlin Park Hospital this year, including 85 additional hip replacement operations. This work is now well underway.
In addition, the recent opening of the new Clean Air theatres in Merlin Park Hospital, also funded by the waiting list initiative, should significantly increase the throughput of orthopaedic cases.