Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Constituents have been making an increasing number of representations in the past two years concerning people, particularly those in the older age cohort, who need care and attention or surgery in respect of hips, knees and shoulders. In many instances, when people are suffering a particular ailment and are awaiting orthopaedic treatment, this drags down their general health, as the Minister will appreciate better than most in this Chamber. GPs in the Cavan-Monaghan area tell me that when they refer a patient to, say, Navan, they typically wait up to two years for their first assessment, although that is through no fault of the surgeons in Navan. In the meantime, their health can deteriorate.

The patients referred through Cavan General Hospital catchment area make up 90% of the patient waiting list in the north east, and 90% of those are waiting longer than 12 months. It is a very acute problem in Cavan-Monaghan and I would like some particular initiative to try to deal with this backlog.

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