§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the shortest current waiting time for(a) non-fundholder and (b) fundholder patients for the fitting of a prosthesis following (i) the amputation of a leg and (ii) breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. [17893]
§ Mr. WorthingtonNo one is waiting outside the three week timescale for the fitting of a prosthesis. Information relating to breast reconstruction is not available centrally.
§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Eastern Health and Social Services Board treats(a) breast reconstruction following a mastectomy and (b) the fitting of a prosthesis following amputation of a limb as a cosmetic procedure. [17904]
§ Mr. Worthington(a) Breast reconstruction following a mastectomy is generally regarded by the Eastern Board, as a cosmetic procedure. The Board and the surgeons who carry out this operation are however very aware of the deep distress which patients who wish to undergo reconstruction may suffer while waiting.
(b) The Board takes a different view of the fitting of a prosthesis following amputation of a limb and does not regard that as a cosmetic procedure.
247W
§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) non-fundholder and (b) fundholder patients are currently waiting for the fitting of a prosthesis following the amputation of (i) an arm and (ii) a leg. [17900]
§ Mr. WorthingtonNo distinction is made between non-fundholder and fundholder patients. Fitting is completed within three weeks of a patient being ready to commence prosthetic treatment following amputation. No one is currently waiting outside this timescale.
§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has to commit additional resources for breast reconstruction following mastectomies. [17882]
§ Mr. WorthingtonThe Eastern Board, following receipt of additional funding, has agreed, at the request of the Royal Group of Hospitals, to purchase a further seven breast reconstruction procedures there. The Board also intends to pay for a further 100 plastic surgery procedures and 340 general surgery procedures at the Ulster Hospital. These may include post mastectomy reconstruction but this will depend on decisions by the appropriate consultants about clinical priority.
§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many GP fundholder patients have had a mastectomy in 1996–97; [17902]
(2) how many GP non-fundholder patients had a mastectomy in 1996–97. [17883]
§ Mr. WorthingtonThe number of inpatient episodes involving procedures for total or other excision of the breast in health service hospitals in Northern Ireland during the year 1996–97 was 1,652. Of these episodes, 728 involved patients of GP fundholders and 895 involved patients of non-fundholders. Central records do not distinguish whether the GP was a fundholder or a non-fundholder for the remaining 29 episodes.
Source:
Hospital Inpatients System. Figures for 1996–97 are provisional.
§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many breast reconstructions following mastectomy the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has contracted for in the current financial year; and what funds have been committed to purchase these services. [17901]
§ Mr. WorthingtonIn the normal process the Eastern Board does not contract specifically for breast reconstruction as this is commissioned as either a general surgery or plastic surgery procedure. It is not therefore possible to say what funds have been committed to purchase procedures of this kind in 1997–98.
§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many GP fundholders patients who have had a mastectomy have been advised to have breast reconstruction in 1996–97; and how many have had their operation for reconstruction delayed by more than three months; [17887]
(2) what is the longest current waiting time for (a) non-fundholder and (b) fundholder patients for reconstruction of breast surgery following a mastectomy; [17897]
248W(3) how many GP non-fundholder patients who have had a mastectomy were advised to have breast reconstruction in 1996–97; and how many of these have had their operation for reconstruction delayed by more than three months; [17884]
(4) how many (a) non-fundholder and (b) fundholder patients are currently waiting for reconstruction of breast surgery following a mastectomy. [17899]
§ Mr. WorthingtonThe information is not available centrally.
§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what consultations the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has had with medical experts in respect of the allocation of resources for breast reconstruction; [17880]
(2) what consultation the Eastern Health and Social Services Board has had with surgeons specialising in breast surgery over (a) delays in breast reconstruction treatment following mastectomies and (b) the priority accorded to this treatment. [17881]
§ Mr. WorthingtonIn August additional funding was made available, some of it for waiting list pressures. The Eastern Board approached the Trusts in its area to ask for proposals from them for waiting list work. The Royal Group put forward, inter alia a proposal for the treatment of seven additional patients requiring breast reconstruction to which the Board has agreed. The Ulster Hospital in its response indicated that it could undertake 100 additional plastic surgery procedures and 240 in general surgery. The appropriate consultants will consider the clinical priority of those waiting, including the one patient waiting for post mastectomy reconstruction on the plastic surgery list at the Ulster. The Board has also advised that it has not received any indication of concerns about this specific service from any of the Trusts providing it either in respect of waiting times or the level of investment in it.