Vol. 496 No. 3
279 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Health and Children the waiting list numbers for CT scans at the Mater Hospital, Dublin 7; the number of CT scan machines in the hospital; the usage of these machines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22684/98]
There are two CT scanning machines in the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. I understand there are 27 in-patients and 200 out-patients on the waiting list for a CT scan at the hospital.
Each year, hospitals are notified of their noncapital allocation and a service plan is drawn up by them and agreed with the Department. This plan sets down parameters for activity for the year and hospitals are required to maintain activity levels within the hospital's agreed parameters. Detailed decisions in relation to hospital spending are a matter for the hospital management. In this regard, my Department has been advised that the hospital's management has decided to take one of its CT machines out of operation until the end of this year as part of its plan to live within budget. The hospital has informed my Department that this measure allows it to deal with all emergency and prioritised elective cases in a satisfactory manner.
