John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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599. To ask the Minister for Health if an early appointment will be arranged at the orthopaedic clinic at Waterford Regional Hospital in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, in view of the fact that the person's circumstances are deemed urgent; and if he will expedite the matter. [11425/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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You will appreciate that it is contrary to the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013 for me to make a direction to the HSE or a hospital to benefit or prioritise any individual person or patient.

The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.