AQW 17877/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 08/11/2024
Answered On Date: 25/11/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) the number of children with disabilities awaiting in-patient dental treatment; and (ii) the average waiting time for in-patient dental services for children with disabilities, as of the end of October 2024, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.

Answer:

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust is the only Trust in Northern Ireland to provide inpatient dental treatment for children with disabilities.

Belfast Trust has advised that it has a waiting list for all paediatric general anaesthetic (GA) patients. This includes a mix of inpatient and day-cases. However, the waiting list is not broken down by disability/ absence of disability so it is unable to provide this information.

Belfast Trust has advised that the average waiting time for all paediatric general anaesthetic (GA) patients at the end of October 2024 was 40 months. The waiting list is not broken down by disability/ absence of disability.