Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I am responding to Deputy Clune on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. The HSE's southern region provides orthodontic care to patients throughout counties Cork and Kerry. Patients are referred to the orthodontic service from primary dental services. Following referral, consultant orthodontists assess all patients from the age of 12 years. On assessment, patients begin their treatment, are placed on a treatment waiting list or are discharged, depending on their treatment needs.

The HSE identifies those patients who have a great dental health need and who will obtain health gain from the intervention. Prioritisation of care in this way ensures that public funds are targeted on those with the greatest clinical need. It also aims to ensure that treatment is provided in a timely manner by the orthodontic workforce. Urgent cases, such as patients with a cleft lip and palate, are treated as soon as possible. Other patients who qualify for treatment but whose treatment needs are less urgent are placed on the treatment waiting list.

At present, HSE south is experiencing particular challenges in providing orthodontic services. These are partly as a result of the untimely death of an orthodontic consultant and the unavailability of a consultant orthodontist and a specialist orthodontist who have been on maternity leave. The HSE south is addressing these difficulties. Locum arrangements have been put in place. The HSE has also tendered for the provision of orthodontic services in respect of a specific cohort of patients who have been waiting significantly long periods for treatment. It is hoped that these initiatives will improve the waiting times in Cork and Kerry.

See this speech in context