Tom Hayes
Ceist:284 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of children in Tipperary South awaiting orthodontic and other dental treatment. [23939/03]
Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.
The provision of orthodontic services in the South Eastern Health Board, SEHB, is the responsibility of the chief executive officer of that board in the first instance.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that I have taken a number of measures to improve orthodontic services in the SEHB area and on a national basis. The grade of specialist in orthodontics has been created in the health board orthodontic service. This year, my Department and the health boards are funding 13 dentists from various health boards – including three from the SEHB – for specialist in orthodontics qualifications at training programmes in Ireland and at three separate universities in the United Kingdom. These 13 trainees for the public orthodontic service are additional to the six dentists – including one from the SEHB – who commenced their training in 2001. Thus, there is an aggregate of 19 dentists in specialist training for orthodontics. These measures will complement the other structural changes being introduced into the orthodontic service, including the creation of an auxiliary grade of orthodontic therapist to work in the orthodontic area.
Furthermore, the commitment of the Department to training development is manifested in the funding provided for both the training of specialist clinical staff and the recruitment of a professor in orthodontics for the Cork Dental School. This appointment at the school will facilitate the development of an approved training programme leading to specialist qualification in orthodontics. The chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board has reported that the professor will take up duty in December. In recognition of the importance of this post at Cork Dental School my Department has given approval in principle to a proposal from the school to further substantially improve the training facilities there for orthodontics. This project should see the construction of a large orthodontic unit and support facilities; it will ultimately support an enhanced teaching and treatment service to the wider region under the leadership of the professor of orthodontics.
Orthodontic initiative funding of €4.698 million was provided for the health boards-authority in 2001 and this has enabled health boards to recruit additional staff, engage the services of private specialist orthodontic practitioners to treat patients and build additional orthodontic facilities.
In June 2002, my Department provided additional funding of €5 million from the treatment purchase fund for health boards specifically for the purchase of orthodontic treatment. This funding is enabling boards to provide both additional sessions for existing staff and purchase treatment from private specialist orthodontic practitioners. The SEHB was allocated an additional €554,000 from this fund for the treatment of cases in this way.
The number of patients awaiting orthodontic and other dental treatment by county is not routinely collected by my Department. My Department has therefore asked the chief executive officer of the board to provide the information requested directly to the Deputy. The chief executive officer of the SEHB has informed me that at the end of the June 2003 quarter, there were 2,210 patients receiving orthodontic treatment in the board.