Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Feb 1995

Vol. 449 No. 5

Written Answers. - Mayo: Orthopaedic Services.

Tom Moffatt

Ceist:

68 Mr. Moffat asked the Minister for Health, in view of the inability of the orthopaedic services at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway, to provide adequate services to the people of Mayo, if he will consider appointing two orthopaedic surgeons as a matter of urgency to the Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar, County Mayo. [4099/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The Deputy may be interested to know that development funds of £400,000 were provided to the Western Health Board in 1994 for the expansion of orthopaedic services at Merlin Park Regional Hospital. As a result, approval has been given to the board to recruit a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and a consultant anaesthetist, together with the necessary support staff.

Under the 1993 Waiting List Initiative, funds were provided to equip and commission two new-clean-air-theatres in Merlin Park Hospital. In 1994, a total of £850,000 was allocated from the waiting list fund to the Western Health Board for the provision of 1,222 additional procedures, including 109 orthopaedic procedures. This has helped to reduce the overall waiting time for patients in the specialities targeted.

In relation to orthopaedic services in Mayo, a submission has recently been received from the Western Health Board requesting the establishing of an Orthopaedic Unit at Mayo General Hospital as part of Phase II of the Mayo General Hospital development, which proposal is at present being considered in my Department.