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Cardiac Surgery

Volume 204: debated on Friday 21 February 1992

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To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make provision for a fifth cardiac surgeon at the Royal Victoria hospital, at Belfast.

The Eastern health and social services board is responsible for the management of the cardiac surgery unit at the Royal Victoria hospital. A fourth cardiac surgeon, who is a locum, has recently been appointed and will take up post on 1 May 1992 for a period of one year, with a review and possible extension at the end of that period. I am not aware of any plans to make provision for a fifth cardiac surgeon at the Royal Victoria hospital but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that a very high priority will continue to be accorded to the specialty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to reduce the waiting lists for cardiac surgery.

The Government have provided significant additional capital and revenue funding to enable more cardiac operations to be carried out at the Royal Victoria hospital. An extension to the cardiac recovery unit costing £1·5 million was completed in October 1991, and funds of £300,000 were made available for a fourth cardiac surgeon and supporting team. A locum surgeon has been appointed and will take up post on 1 May 1992. In addition, health and social services boards are purchasing cardiac operations for their resident populations from other parts of the United Kingdom. It is the Government's intention in respect of the cardiac surgery waiting list to honour, at the earliest possible date, the guarantee in the citizens charter that no one should have to wait for more than two years for a cardiac operation.