Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Oct 1994

Vol. 446 No. 5

Written Answers. - Ophthalmology Service.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

133 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who has been given 8 November 1995 as the first available date for an outpatients eye visit to a consultant in the Mater Hospital; if he will give details of the establishment of the eye department; the cost to his Department; the number of outpatient appointments per day for public patients; his views on the lack of service to this person; and the steps, if any, he will take to arrange an early appointment for this person. [2408/94]

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

Appointments for outpatient ophthalmology services are allocated by the consultant ophthalmologists on the basis of the medical condition of the patient having regard to the referral letter from the patient's general practitioner. I understand from the Mater Hospital that urgent cases are seen almost immediately. However, if the person feels that her condition has deteriorated she should contact her general practitioner who is best placed to highlight her case to the consultant concerned.

The ophthalmology department in the Mater Hospital is staffed by five consultant ophthalmologists and one locum consultant ophthalmologist. The hospital provides ophthalmology services to patients in North Dublin and the North Eastern Health Board area. The number of public outpatients seen daily is approximately 100. A total of 2,033 inpatients, 720 day-cases and 22,779 outpatients were treated at the ophthalmology department in the Mater Hospital in 1993. The cost of providing this service is approximately £3.3 million.

Under the waiting list initiative 1993, ophthalmology was one of the specialities specifically targeted. The 1994 waiting list initiative again targeted ophthalmology to reduce the waiting time for ophthalmology services nationwide. Additional funding provided to the Mater Hospital under these initiatives will enable the hospital to treat approximately 1,000 extra ophthalmology cases.