§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what measures will be taken to reduce the waiting list for cataract operations at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast;
(2) what additional resources will be allocated to eye surgery at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast.
§ Mr. HanleyAdditional funds of some £440,000 have been allocated to ophthalmology at the Royal Victoria hospital over the past two years. The funds allocated thus far have enabled an extra 600 procedures to be carried out during 1990–91, the great majority of which have been for cataracts. I hope to announce in the near future further additional funding for 1991–92 which should enable an additional 1,200 procedures to be carried out during 1991–92.
594WBetter management of waiting lists also helps to reduce both their length and the waiting time. The Department therefore supports the initiatives by the clinical resource efficiency support team, a group of clinicians formed to promote clinical efficiency. The team has produced a guidance booklet on waiting list management. As a result, boards have been asked to draw up programmes of management action focusing in particular on those specialties which have the greatest problems.