Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 24 Oct 2002

Vol. 556 No. 2

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

80 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself with the adequacy of his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 109 of 17 October 2002, in view of the fact that the reply only contained details that were already submitted in the correspondence with the question; the measures he intends to take to assist those on the present list who, from the information supplied, will have to wait four years before a visit by an occupational therapist; the number of people who have been removed off the list as a result of their death in each of the five calendar years, 1997 to 2001 in the area of the ERHA, formerly the EHB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19556/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The information as set out in my reply to the Deputy's question of 17 October 2002 is accurate in respect of the current position of the occupational therapy services. It is acknowledged that there are substantial waiting lists for the various therapy services. In this connection, it was pointed out that efforts are under way to increase the numbers of therapists that are currently available to the health boards in a bid to reduce waiting lists in this regard. It will be a number of years before substantial improvements are made in terms of the numbers of occupational therapists available. In the meantime, my Department is currently engaging with the Department of the Environment and Local Government with a view to streamlining assessment procedures for the disabled persons' grant for housing modification and I will be in touch with the Deputy as soon as possible with the outcome of these discussions. As the Eastern Regional Health Authority is responsible for the provision of health related services in the eastern region, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the chief executive officer with a request that the statistical information requested by the Deputy is forwarded as a matter of urgency.