Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 618: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the level of funding available for orthopaedic surgeries each year for the past five years. [9550/11]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 619: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of orthopaedic surgeries undertaken in public hospitals each year for each of the past five years. [9551/11]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 620: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of orthopaedic surgeries undertaken under the National Treatment Purchase Fund each year for the past five years. [9552/11]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 621: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons currently on waiting lists for orthopaedic surgery. [9553/11]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 622: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if he has investigated or if his attention has been drawn to the fact that private hospitals are predominantly taking on less complicated orthopaedic surgeries compared with the public hospitals. [9554/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 618 to 622, inclusive, together.

The following table sets out the information requested by the Deputy.

The number of surgical procedures is based on cases recorded on HIPE/Casemix as orthopaedic or paediatric orthopaedic procedures typically carried out in an operating theatre and both in-patient and day cases are included. Medical cases are specifically excluded. The values are for cases and day cases only and specifically exclude outpatient, emergency department, depreciation and capital costs.

As financial returns are not yet completed for 2010, this value has been estimated using the 2010 activity data and the 2009 casemix costs per case.

The table below sets out the number of patients currently for orthopaedic surgery at 31 March 2011.

National waiting data is managed by the National Treatment Purchase Fund. Patients are placed on the national database 3 months after being referred for treatment. Prior to that, they are classified as new hospital referrals.

In relation to the Deputy's question regarding private hospitals taking on less complicated orthopaedic surgeries compared with public hospitals, I have not seen any evidence to support this. However, if the Deputy has specific evidence in his possession I would welcome the opportunity to examine it.

I see a role for smaller county hospitals performing more of these procedures where appropriate.