Vol. 494 No. 3
213 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people on the waiting list to have hip replacement operations in the orthopaedic hospital, Cork; the average amount of time a person can expect to wait in order to have a hip replacement operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18146/98]
214 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of hip replacement operations which have taken place in the orthopaedic hospital, Cork in each month for the past year; the number of hip replacement operation he expects will take place each month for the next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18147/98]
215 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the average age of those awaiting hip replacement operations in the orthopaedic hospital, Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18148/98]
216 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients holding medical cards and the number of private patients who have had hip replacement operations in St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork for each month in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18149/98]
217 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of surgeons employed by the Southern Health Board at the orthopaedic hospital, Cork, qualified to carry out hip replacement operations; the number of operations carried out on public and private patients respectively by each surgeon in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18150/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 217 inclusive, together.
The Southern Health Board currently employs five full-time orthopaedic surgeons and one temporary orthopaedic surgeon who perform hip replacement operations at St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Cork. The number of people on the waiting list for hip replacement operations at the end of June 1998, in St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, was 139.
As the management, detailed monitoring and analysis of waiting lists is a matter for the Southern Health Board in the first instance, I have asked the chief executive officer of the board to reply directly to the Deputy with the further information requested.
218 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of public patients on the waiting lists for cardiac surgery in the Southern Health Board region; the amount of time the longest cardiac patient has been waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18153/98]
The number of public patients on the waiting list for cardiac surgery, as at the end of June 1998, in the Southern Health Board was 62.
As the management, detailed monitoring and analysis of waiting lists is a matter for the Southern Health Board in the first instance, I have asked the chief executive officer of the board to reply directly to the Deputy with the further information requested.
219 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on recent reports that the use of mobile phones can be hazardous to health especially if the instrument is held to close to the ear; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18154/98]
Details of the reports referred to by the Deputy are not given.
