Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
104
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the number of children who have received orthodontic treatment in the past 12 months; the number still awaiting treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12764/02]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
105
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
having regard to the information conveyed to his Department by the various health boards, the situation in regard to orthodontic treatment here; the reason so many parents have had to seek private treatment for their children; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12765/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy of the following measures that I have taken to improve the orthodontic services. In October last year, six dentists from the Eastern Regional Health Authority, North-Eastern Health Board and South-Eastern Health Board commenced their training for specialist in orthodontics qualifications. Furthermore, three dentists from the Western Health Board and North-Eastern Health Board are already in specialist training for orthodontics and this brings the total number of dentists in such training to nine.
The general objective of these training programmes is to educate dentists to become specialists in orthodontics with a broad academic background and experience in different clinical treatment methods. They are made possible by co-operation between health boards, consultants and dental teaching institutions. Discussions on providing an additional training course to commence this year are also under way.
My Department has funded the appointment of a director of specialist training for the Irish Committee for Specialist Training in Dentistry through the Post Graduate Medical and Dental Board. The director has taken up duty and will play a pivotal role in assisting the different agencies involved in dental specialist training programmes. My Department has also funded the recruitment of a professor in orthodontics at Cork University dental school to facilitate the development of an approved training programme leading to specialist qualifications in orthodontics. Capital funding of approximately €1.27 million was also provided to the orthodontics unit there for its refurbishment to an appropriate standard.
These measures will complement the other structural changes being introduced to the orthodontic service, namely the creation of the grade of specialist in orthodontics and the creation of an auxiliary grade of orthodontic therapist to work in the orthodontic area. The Dental Council has already established a register of dental specialists with a division of orthodontics. In addition, agreement has been reached at the Health Service Employers Agency on the introduction of the grade of specialist in orthodontics into the public service. This agreement resulted from complex and time-consuming negotiations and its introduction will have a tremendous impact on the future delivery of orthodontics. The grade of orthodontic therapist will act as a support to the consultant orthodontist, specialists and other dentists working in the orthodontic unit, thus enabling a greater volume of treatment.
In the short-term, I have funded an orthodontic initiative to ease current pressures on the system. Additional funding of €6.729 million was approved for orthodontic services last year, of which €4.698 million was to fund an initiative on orthodontic waiting lists. This is enabling health boards to recruit additional staff and engage the services of private specialist orthodontic prac titioners to treat patients. An additional six-surgery facility and five-surgery facility at the Loughlinstown regional orthodontic unit and the St. James's Hospital regional orthodontic unit, respectively, have also been developed under the initiative. My Department is exploring with boards every possibility to expand the level of services in the short-term, such as the use of private specialist orthodontic practitioners and the treatment of patients in out-of-hours sessions by health board orthodontists.
These measures that I have taken have already impacted positively on the orthodontic services. The chief executive officers of the health boards have informed me that, at the end of the December 2001 quarter, there were 17,295 patients in orthodontic treatment in the health boards. This is an increase of 3,086 patients in orthodontic treatment compared to the number of patients in treatment in May 1999. I expect that the number of patients in orthodontic treatment will continue to increase as the above measures continue to take effect. Finally, the chief executive officers of the health boards have further informed me that the number of patients awaiting orthodontic treatment at the end of the December 2001 quarter was 11,890. This is a decrease of 1,613 in comparison with the corresponding figure at the end of the June 2001 quarter.
For children who are placed on a waiting list for treatment, the initiatives that I have set out above will bring about an improvement in waiting times and I am considering other options whereby children who have been waiting for an extended period can be treated free of charge privately. There is currently no mechanism for reimbursing costs of orthodontic treatment received independent of health boards. However, tax relief is available in respect of such treatment costs.
Question No. 106 answered with Question No. 28.
