Vol. 547 No. 1
687 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Health and Children the definitive guidelines for eligibility for orthodontic treatment; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are four sets of guidelines being considered; if he will lay a copy of the definitive guidelines before Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2738/02]
Orthodontic guidelines were issued by my Department in 1985 and are still in operation. Their purpose is to allow prioritisation of children for orthodontic treatment based on the severity of need. I do not regard it as appropriate to lay the guidelines before the House but I am happy to make them generally available.
The guidelines are intended to enable health boards to identify in a consistent way patients in greatest need and to commence timely treatment for them. Patients assessed as category A have severe malocclusions and should receive urgent orthodontic care; patients assessed as category B have less severe problems and are placed on orthodontic treatment waiting lists. The number of cases treated will depend on the level of resources available, in terms of qualified staff, in an area.
Health board consultant orthodontists recommended that the 1985 guidelines be modified to prioritise treatment for the most severe categories of patients. My Department will be writing to the chief executive officers of the health boards concerning the operation of these modified guidelines with regard to maintaining the delivery of orthodontic services in a prioritised way.
