Michael Ring
Ceist:114 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the hospitals which have a department of ophthalmology; the population served by each department; and the number of consultants attached to each unit. [25243/98]
Written Answers - Ophthalmic Surgery.
Michael Ring
Ceist:115 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of cataract operations carried out in each hospital that has an ophthalmology department in the years 1992 to date; and the waiting lists in each hospital. [25244/98]
Michael Ring
Ceist:116 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the average hospitalisation period for patients after cataract surgery; if day case cataract surgery is available at any hospital; if so, the number of patients who availed of this surgery; his views on this surgery procedure; and the plans, if any, he has to equip hospitals to provide day case cataract surgery. [25245/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 114, 115 and 116 together.
I have outlined for the Deputy in the table below the hospitals which have opthalmology departments, the number of cataract operations performed since 1995, the population served by each department and the number of consultants attached to each department:
|
Health Board Region. |
Hospital |
Number of Consultants (Whole-Time Equivalents) |
Number of Cataract Operations 1995-97 |
Population. |
|
Eastern |
1,296,000 |
|||
|
Beaumont |
2.27 |
– |
– |
|
|
James Connolly |
0.18 |
– |
– |
|
|
Mater |
4.88 |
965 |
– |
|
|
Our Lady's, Crumlin |
0.75 |
– |
– |
|
|
Eye & Ear |
8.36 |
2,625 |
– |
|
|
St. James's |
1.19 |
– |
– |
|
|
St. Michael's |
0.28 |
– |
– |
|
|
St. Vincent's |
1.35 |
596 |
– |
|
|
Tallaght |
1 |
– |
– |
|
|
Temple Street |
1.3 |
– |
– |
|
|
National Maternity Hospital |
0.09 |
– |
– |
|
|
Rotunda |
0.18 |
– |
– |
|
|
St. Mary's, Phoenix Park |
0.08 |
– |
– |
|
|
St. Mary's, Cappagh |
0.03 |
– |
– |
|
|
Midland |
206,000 |
|||
|
Tullamore |
1.41 |
– |
– |
|
|
Mid-West |
317,000 |
|||
|
Limerick Regional |
3.0 |
– |
– |
|
|
North-East |
306,000 |
|||
|
Our Lady of Lourdes |
0.02 |
– |
– |
|
|
North-West |
211,000 |
|||
|
Sligo |
1.0 |
– |
– |
|
|
South-East |
391,500 |
|||
|
Waterford |
3.0 |
2,737 |
– |
|
|
Southern |
546,400 |
|||
|
Cork University |
4.0 |
271 |
– |
|
|
Western |
352,000 |
|||
|
U.C.H.G. |
3.0 |
827 |
– |
In relation to the number of consultants indicated by hospital, it should be noted that the health boards also employ consultant ophthalmologists to serve the health board region. In total there are 50 consultant ophthalmologists employed across the public health sector.
My Department's hospital in-patient inquiry system, HIPE, collects information in relation to in-patient and day care activity in public hospitals who participate in HIPE. The data requested by the Deputy have been collated as a matter of routine in my Department since 1995. The table below sets out details of the number of cataract operations performed annually since 1995. Information in respect of 1998 is presently being compiled.
|
Year |
Daycase |
In-Patient |
|
1995 |
292 |
1,728 |
|
1996 |
434 |
2,300 |
|
1997 |
736 |
2,531 |
The average in-patient length of stay for cataract surgery from the time of admission to discharge is three days. The Deputy will note from the above figures that there has been a significant increase in the level of day case cataract activity in recent years. I anticipate that this trend will continue in future years. The precise level of funding to be allocated to this service in 1999 will be a matter for individual agencies to consider as part of the overall service planning process. As a matter of practice, I have been encouraging agencies to avail of alternatives to traditional in-patient treatment where this is consistent with high-quality patient care.
The waiting list figures for cataract surgery at 30 June 1998 is as set out in the table below:
|
Hospital |
Number on Waiting List |
|
Mater |
284 |
|
Eye & Ear |
253 |
|
St. Vincent's |
38 |
|
Limerick Regional |
496 |
|
Sligo General |
181 |
|
Waterford Regional |
585 |
|
Cork University |
270 |
|
U.C.H. Galway |
536 |