Vol. 572 No. 2
60 Dr. Twomey asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps being taken to increase the number of consultants to local and regional hospitals to improve access to certain specialities such as ENT and orthopaedics in order to promote equal access to health care. [22483/03]
I established a National Task Force on Medical Staffing in February 2002 to make recommendations about how to best organise hospital medical staffing within the hospital system, having regard to the requirement of the European Working Time Directive to reduce the average weekly working hours of non-consultant hospital doctors and the recommendations of the Forum on Medical Manpower. The task force has examined the implications of a consultant-provided service in order to improve the quality and delivery of patient care. I expect the task force to make recommendations regarding the appropriate number of consultants in all specialties, including ENT and orthopaedics. The task force report is currently being considered by Government and will be published shortly.
A Comhairle na nOspidéal committee has also been established to examine the provision of consultant-level ENT services. Comhairle is expected to issue a report on the future organisation and development of ENT services and the need for increases in consultant staffing by the end of the year.
