Jan O'Sullivan
Ceist:39 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of additional consultants, and the area of speciality, that will be appointed during 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14534/00]
Written Answers. - Hospital Doctors.
This Government is providing unprecedented resources for the development of the health services. A total of £4 billion will be spent this year, just two years after the total net expenditure in the sector passed the £3 billion for the first time. Funding for specific service developments in the acute hospital sector this year stands at over four times the level provided in the final year of the last government's term of office. This is facilitating a number of substantial initiatives with a view to ensuring that the acute hospital services are reformed, re-organised and properly geared to meet the need of our population. They include the recently launched cardio-vascular health strategy including developments in cardiac surgery, the continuing implementation of the national cancer strategy which is improving the availability of cancer treatment services throughout the country, the development of renal services which will involve an investment of £20 million over the next three years, the establishment of a medical manpower forum to review the key aspects of medical staffing in public hospitals; and a range of other initiatives in such areas of acute hospital governance and management developments, clinicians in management, hospital accreditation, laboratory accreditation and health technology assessment.
The range and scope of developments to be undertaken in each agency under the various areas is agreed between my Department and individual agencies as part of the annual service planning process. Within this context the actual number of consultant appointments that will be made in a given year will be influenced by timing factors associated with the recruitment process, including the level of response to advertisements, the need to schedule interview boards, the availability of suitable candidates and the length of notice required by existing employers.