Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 2

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.

Seymour Crawford

Ceist:

145 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of children who have received orthodontic treatment in the past four years in the North Eastern Health Board region; the number on waiting lists who have not received treatment; when those patients on waiting lists can expect to receive treatment; if he will extend his pilot scheme to the North Eastern Health Board area so those who are forced to use private practice either north or south of the Border can get either partial or total reimbursement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20326/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The provision of orthodontic services is the responsibility of the health boards in the first instance.

The chief executive officer of the North Eastern Health Board has informed me that the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of children who received orthodontic treatment in the past four years is not available. I am informed by the chief executive officer that since 1 January 2000, 292 children had completed their treatment and at the end of the March quarter 2001 there were 1,766 patients in treatment in the board's area.

The proposal from the Eastern Regional Health Authority for a grant-in-aid scheme was approved by my Department. The scheme was intended to operate on a pilot basis in the Northern Area Health Board for 12 months. However, some legal difficulties have arisen and these are being examined at present.

The chief executive officer of the NEHB has also informed me that the number of patients awaiting assessment and treatment in its area of responsibility at the end of the March quarter were as follows:

		Assessment Waiting List		Treatment Waiting List
Health Board		WaitingTime(Months)		Waitingtime(Months)
North-Eastern	Nil	Not applicable	813	24-30