Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Jun 2001

Vol. 538 No. 1

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

185 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people in the Western Health Board area who are on the waiting list for hip operations; the average length of time spent waiting on this list; and the age category of the people concerned. [17428/01]

Michael Ring

Ceist:

186 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people in the Western Health Board area who are on the waiting list for heart operations; the average length of time spent on waiting on this list; and the age category of the people concerned. [17429/01]

Michael Ring

Ceist:

187 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people in the Western Health Board area who are waiting on cataract operations; the average length of time spent on waiting on this list; and the age category of the people concerned. [17430/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 to 187 inclusive, together.

Waiting list figures are collated from figures supplied by the health agencies and relate to the numbers waiting for procedures at the hospitals within their areas only. This data do not include an age breakdown of those on the waiting list.

The hospital in-patient waiting list data for the Western Health Board area, as at 31 December 2000, the latest date for which figures are available show that there were 106 patients waiting for hip replacements at hospitals in the Western Health Board area and that there were 144 patients waiting for cataract procedures at hospitals in the area. Of those waiting for hip replacements, 76 patients are waiting between three and 12 months and 30 patients are waiting longer than 12 months. Of those waiting for cataract procedures, 77 patients are waiting between three and 12 months and 67 patients are waiting over 12 months.