Vol. 437 No. 4
14 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Health the level of hip operations over the last five years on a waiting list in each health board area in the country; the cost of these operations in each health board area; if he will give a comparison as to the estimated cost if he utilised the services outside of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The total number of hip replacement operations carried out nationally in the period 1988-92 was 9,063. As the information requested by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose to circulate it in the Official Report. Information regarding average costs of operations is not routinely collected by my Department.
Number of Hip Replacements carried out by Health Board Area
|
Agency |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
Total |
|
EHB |
667 |
678 |
837 |
938 |
958 |
4,078 |
|
WHB |
234 |
218 |
215 |
185 |
141 |
993 |
|
SEHB |
120 |
71 |
154 |
137 |
173 |
655 |
|
NWHB |
123 |
114 |
118 |
125 |
161 |
641 |
|
MHB |
124 |
131 |
121 |
104 |
116 |
596 |
|
SHB |
335 |
390 |
358 |
323 |
369 |
1,775 |
|
NEHB |
202 |
181 |
226 |
210 |
187 |
1,006 |
|
9,063 |
Acknowledging that more than 9,000 hip replacement operations have been carried out to date, will the Minister give the number of people on the hip replacement waiting list at present and the number for the past two years?
This appears to relate to additional information.
It is a separate question.
It is directly related.
It is a separate question.
What is the current number on the waiting list for hip replacement operations? I am sure the Minister has that information in his possession. The eight health boards submit this information to the Minister on a regular basis.
I will provide that information as soon as the Deputy puts down a question on the matter.
I will give the Minister information on specific cases
I am sorry, Deputy——
Is the Deputy imparting information or seeking it?
I am looking for the information.
This is outside the bounds of this question.
May I ask the Minister what is the current number of people on the hip replacement waiting list?
That is outside the scope of this question. The question relates to the number of hip replacements carried out and I have provided that information by way of a tabular statement.
We are dealing with a very specific question.
In addition to the routine work done in 1993, 1,117 hip replacement operations were carried out as a result of the waiting list initiative.
In view of the fact that the Southern Health Board recently sent hip replacement patients to Belfast for their operations, will the Minister allow the private hospital sector here to quote for these patients? I understand it did not previously have such an opportunity.
This matter is outside the scope of this question.
It is the subject of another question put down by the Deputy.
It relates to hip operations and surely the Minister can answer it.
Is this transparency?
This is openness.
If the Deputy puts down a question on this matter he will receive an answer. Other people have questions down also.
Deputy Flanagan.
All has changed.
I am quite happy to answer the relevant question put down by the Deputy, which we have not yet reached.
It relates to this question.
I have called Deputy Flanagan, but perhaps he does not wish to ask a question.
I was giving the Minister an opportunity to reply to a very important question. In view of the fact that waiting list initiative is drawing to a conclusion and £20 million has been allocated, may I ask the Minister what is the average waiting time for a hip operation within the State?
That is a separate question.
The Minister should give us the information which he has on file. It is in front of him.
Deputy Máirín Quill for a final question. Time is almost exhausted.
May I ask the Minister to confirm whether the flight of the earls will be over——
The Minister is a fraud.
An allegation has been made from across the floor. The Deputy has just meandered in at the end of Question Time to make allegations against me.
I have a specific interest in this matter.
Deputy Máirín Quill.
I will not be called a fraud by the Deputy.
The Minister has been asked two questions, one about waiting lists and the other about the average waiting time.
These matters are clearly outside the bounds of the question.
The Deputy should put down a question.
The Minister should answer the question.
I am calling Deputy Máirín Quill for a final question.
The Minister is a fraud.
The Deputy should not come in like a bully with no regard for people who have questions down.
Now that 300 patients from the Southern Health Board region have had their operations carried out in Belfast, will the Minister assure people that in future such operations will be carried out in the Southern Health Board region?
Clearly that is beyond the bounds of the question.
The Minister should answer the question.
It is a key question.
Rather than be heckled in his usual bullying fashion by the Deputy who has meandered in at the end of Question Time——
We want to know about the hip operations.
——I want to say that I am very proud that 300 additional hip replacement operations were carried out in the Southern Health Board region.
So are we.
They should have been carried out in our hospitals.
Please, Deputy.
I am also very proud that an additional 1,100-plus hip replacement operations have been carried out this year——
How many people are awaiting such operations?
I will stop if I am not allowed to answer. I have allocated £1 million to improve the orthopaedic facilities in Cork and sanctioned an additional fifth orthopaedic consultant post last August, which is being filled to ensure a vast improvement in the normal throughput of patients for operations. I was not prepared to allow 300 people wait until those facilities came on stream. Deputies will find that my priority is to give relief to patients in need rather than sit on my hands and wait for facilities to come on stream.
These operations could have been carried out in our hospitals.
The people involved understand the value of what I have done.
That concludes questions for today.
