Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Oct 1994

Vol. 446 No. 3

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting List.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

277 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself with the current waiting period in Dublin hospitals for adult ear, nose and throat patients; and the plans, if any, he has to improve the situation. [2116/94]

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

While my Department does not routinely collect information on waiting times for treatment, the number of patients on in-patient waiting lists is regularly monitored throughout the year. On coming into office I voiced my concern that, in a number of specialities including ENT, the waiting times for in-patient treatment were excessive. To address this problem, the Government made £20 million available last year to reduce in-patient waiting lists. As a result of this investment, the public in-patient waiting list for ENT treatment was more than halved, falling from 6,843 at 30 June 1993 to 3,124 by 31 December last.

Following the success of the 1993 waiting list initiative the Government has committed a further £10 million in 1994 to allow the progress made in 1993 to be consolidated and to further reduce waiting times in specialities where waiting times for in-patient services are considered excessive. Under the 1994 initiative it is planned to carry out a total of 2,637 additional ENT procedures over and above the normal level of activity and I am confident that this activity will allow further progress to be made in reducing the waiting times for such treatment.