§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many orthoptic patients were treated outside the Clwyd health authority area because of lack of staff or facilities in the past 12 months; and what is his estimate of the figures for the next 12 months.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe requested information is not held centrally.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he intends to take to improve waiting time for treatment in orthoptic departments in(a) Clwyd health authority and (b) Wales.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesFunding is not made available specifically for improving orthoptic waiting lists as the setting of priorities is a matter for health authorities. However, central funding has been provided which will assist authorities in the reduction of overall waiting times.
A total of £1 million has already been allocated to Welsh health authorities under this year's waiting times initiative: Clwyd received £140,300. Funding is not aimed at specific specialities, but at those people who have been waiting more than two years for non-urgent treatment; 18 months for hip or knee replacement or cataract operations and one month for urgent treatment.
Central funding of £2.1 million has been made available to Welsh health authorities under the treatment centre initiative: provision for Clwyd health authority has been made for 110 cataract operations at the ophthalmic treatment centre in Bangor at a cost of £91,630.
The authority has also received £164,806, from £1.6 million set aside to assist health authorities in developing their day surgery facilities; £12,500 of this allocation is being used to improve the provision of ophthalmic day case facilities.