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Health Board Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2004

Wednesday, 31 March 2004

Ceisteanna (191, 192, 193, 194, 195)

Jack Wall

Ceist:

191 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of orthodontists employed by the SWAHB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10173/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Jack Wall

Ceist:

192 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of children on the waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in the SWAHB region; the plans his Department has to overcome this list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10174/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 192 together.

The provision of orthodontic services is a matter for the health boards/authority 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 South Western Area Health Board, SWAHB, of the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, and on a national basis.

The grade of specialist in orthodontics has been created in the health board orthodontic service. In 2003, my Department and the health boards funded 13 dentists from various health boards 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 who commenced their training in 2001. Thus, there is an aggregate of 19 dentists in specialist training for orthodontics, including five from the ERHA. 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 to 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 commenced duty on 1 December 2003. 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 €2.044 million was provided to the ERHA in 2001 and this has enabled the authority to recruit additional staff and build additional orthodontic facilities.

In June 2002, my Department provided additional funding of €5 million from the treatment purchase fund to health boards/authority 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 ERHA received €1.815 million for the treatment of cases in this way.

The regional chief executive of the ERHA has informed my Department of the following information on the SWAHB treatment waiting list at the end of December 2003:

Treatment Waiting List

Area Health Board

Category A

Average waiting time (months)

Category B

Average waiting time (months)

South Western

644

< 10

474

< 12

The recruitment of orthodontic staff is the statutory responsibility of the authority. Therefore, my Department has asked the regional chief executive of the authority to provide the Deputy with the information in relation to personnel in the orthodontic service as requested.

The regional chief executive of the authority has informed my Department that at the end of the December quarter 2003, there were 4,656 children receiving orthodontic treatment in the public orthodontic service in the ERHA.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

193 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of occupational therapists employed by the South Western Area Health Board; the number employed in the Kildare region of the board; if there is a shortfall in the area of occupational therapists; the plans his Department has to overcome such difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10175/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Jack Wall

Ceist:

194 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the major backlog of occupational therapy reports in relation to the assessment by the South Western Area Health Board of DPG for Kildare County Council; the plan his Department has in relation to recruiting the extra staff necessary to assist existing staff in overcoming the problems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10176/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Jack Wall

Ceist:

195 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of applications for occupational therapy reports in relation to disabled grants assessment for the local authority of Kildare County Council with the South Western Area Health Board area of Kildare; his concerns in relation to the numbers; the plans he has to overcome such numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10177/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 to 195, inclusive, together.

The provision of health related services for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards in the first instance. Accordingly, the Deputy's questions have been referred to the chief executive officer of the Eastern Regional Health Authority with a request that he examine the matter and reply directly to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.

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