Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients currently awaiting orthopaedic appointments at Kerry General Hospital; the consultant rheumatology patient ratio; the number of patients on waiting lists for neurology, urology, ophthalmology and plastic surgery consultation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13146/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Statutory responsibility for the collation, management and publication of data on waiting times for surgical procedures rests with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). My Department has, therefore, asked the Chief Executive of the NTPF to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the information requested on neurology, urology, ophthalmology and plastic surgery waiting lists.

As the NTPF would not be in a position to comment on the consultant rheumatology patient ratio at Kerry General Hospital (KGH), my Department requested the information from the Health Service Executive (HSE). The HSE has advised that a visiting consultant Rheumatologist attends KGH on one day per month and typically sees eight new patients per session. In 2006, there were 546 Rheumatology out-patient consultations at KGH of which 47 were new patients. At present, there is no in-patient Rheumatology service in Kerry. Patients requiring in-patient treatment are referred as appropriate to Cork University Hospital.

The following table sets out the waiting list for both Orthopaedic Out-patient and In-patient waiting times and for Out-patient Rheumatology consultations at KGH as at end February, 2007. KGH is working closely with the NTPF towards reducing waiting times for both in-patient and out-patient services.