Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 12 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 6

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

303 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children whether there is a long delay in children being called for elective cardiac surgery; if waiting time for this surgery has increased in recent months; if so, the reason for these long delays; and the action, if any, he proposes to improve the services available to sick children who are urgently in need of this surgery. [18972/97]

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

306 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department is unable to provide sufficient and necessary resources to permit open heart surgery for infants and young children, in particular, children who have congenital heart disease; and if he will give details of the resources, if any, which are currently available in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19175/97]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 303 and 306 together.

Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, which serves as the national referral centre for paediatric heart disease, has experienced an increase in the number of children awaiting cardio-thoracic surgery within the last year. This additional demand has resulted in extra pressure on the service and an increased waiting time for some patients.

The increased pressure in cardiac services has been the subject of ongoing discussions between my Department and the hospital for some time. The reasons for this increased pressure have been identified as the lack of theatre space and ICU beds, shortage of ICU trained nurses and the advances in surgical and interventional techniques which have resulted in increased demand.

In April 1997 my Department invited proposals from the hospital for the spending of £500,000 to be made available from the 1997 waiting list initiative to alleviate the pressures on this specialty. Proposals submitted by the hospital were accepted by my Department and funding was provided to support them. The hospital recently forwarded a progress report on the initiative which stated: since the appointment of a locum consultant paediatrician the hospital has experienced an increase in its cardiology out patient department's activity and in the number of echocardiograms performed. The combination of both these factors will result in an additional 545 procedures being carried out in 1997; building works on four additional ICU beds commenced in July and it is expected that these works will be completed shortly; an additional training programme for ICU nurses commenced in September and six candidates have been selected for participation.

A Project Team - consisting of officials from my Department and hospital representatives - is currently working on a development plan for the provision of additional theatres at the hospital. I have asked that this work be concluded as a matter of urgency so that the hospital can proceed to the next stage of this very important development.

The question of additional consultant manpower is being considered in the context of the current review of the further development of cardiac services generally.

I am confident that all of these initiatives will have a positive impact on the service levels of this speciality in the near future.