Vol. 494 No. 6
92 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself with the consultant appointment procedures in place for public patients; if his attention has been drawn to the perception that a private patient has access to a consultant without the long delays which public patients experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18981/98]
I am satisfied with the procedures which are in place for the appointment of consultants for public hospitals. Currently some public patients are experiencing long waiting times for in-patient procedures and, since coming into office, I have taken a series of measures aimed at reducing both waiting times and the numbers on waiting lists. In January 1998, I allocated a total of £12 million for the waiting list initiative and this represented an increase of 50 per cent over the £8 million allocation made available by the previous Government for 1997. The fact that this funding was allocated in January, rather than later in the year as heretofore, enabled hospitals and health boards to plan and implement waiting list work over the entire year.
However, in order to reduce waiting times and waiting lists significantly and to maintain these at an appropriate level, it is necessary firstly to identify and then tackle their underlying causes. Towards this end, I have undertaken this first analysis of the underlying causes of waiting lists and waiting times by the establishment of a Review Group on the Waiting List Initiative whose report I received in August. The contents of the report have been the subject of consultation and discussion by me and my Department with the Department of Finance in the context of the ongoing discussion on the Estimates for 1999.
