Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 27 Nov 1996

Vol. 472 No. 2

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Noel Treacy

Ceist:

112 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has to wait for so long for a medical procedure; if he will ensure that this situation does not prevail indefinitely; the proposals/resources/actions, if any, he proposes to take to alleviate the situation and to ensure that this person is called immediately; if so, the date on which this person will be called for an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22914/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): Inquiries have been made from the Western Health Board and I understand the board has confirmed to the Deputy that the person concerned is on its orthopaedic waiting list. At this stage the board is unable to provide an exact date for admission. As the Deputy is aware, the scheduling of surgical procedures is the clinical decision of the consultant concerned. Should the person concerned feel that his condition has deteriorated he should contact his general practitioner who is best placed to take the matter up directly with the consultant concerned.

Under the 1996 waiting list initiative the Western Health Board has been allocated £1,031,900. This initiative is to enable the board to undertake additional work to reduce the waiting lists for treatment for various specialities including orthopaedics. In addition, an extra orthopaedic consultant was appointed in January 1996. The orthopaedic waiting list should be relieved further by the inclusion of an orthopaedic unit in Phase 2 of Mayo General Hospital, for which I have given approval.