Vol. 448 No. 6
69 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself that the cost of operations carried out in Britain and financed by the Eastern Health Board for gender re-assignment surgery as reported by the media is justifiable and merited when one considers the long waiting lists in this country for operations, in particular for young and elderly persons. [2506/95]
Limerick East): The position is that the Eastern Health Board, following detailed assessment under the terms of the referral abroad scheme, referred three patients abroad for gender realignment surgery over the past two years. This specialised medical treatment is not available in this country. The patients concerned met the specific requirements of the scheme, and the treatment had been deemed clinically necessary by their respective consultants.
In relation to waiting lists in this country for children and the elderly, the Deputy will be aware that the national waiting list initiatives over the last two years specifically targeted adults waiting over 12 months and children waiting over 6 months for treatment in a range of specialities where the length of time patients had to wait had been identified as a problem. I am pleased to say that these waiting list initiatives have helped to reduce overall waiting times for both adults and children in these specialities.
