AQW 4376/11-15 Written question to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety how many consultants work at each hospital's paediatrics department; and what is the average daily number of patients they treat.
Asked by Stewart Dickson MLA on 10 November 2011
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 10 November 2011
- Answer due by
- 25 November 2011
- Answered
- 21 November 201111 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The number of consultants working in paediatric departments by hospital is not centrally available from DHSSPS as staff may work across hospital sites and may provide both hospital and community services. Therefore the total number of consultants recorded as working in paediatric hospital and community services (excluding mental health) by HSC Trust is provided in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Consultants within Paediatrics Services (excluding mental health) at 30th September 2010
| HSC Trust | Headcount | WTE |
| Belfast | 36 | 33.21 |
| Northern | 15 | 13.95 |
| South Eastern | 10 | 9.25 |
| Southern | 14 | 13.4 |
| Western | 15 | 14.7 |
Source: Human Resource Management System
Notes:
Figures exclude staff with a whole-time equivalent (WTE) less than or equal to 0.03 and staff on career breaks.
Information is not collected centrally on all contacts a patient may have with a paediatric consultant. We are, however, able to provide information on the number of inpatient admissions and outpatient attendances within a paediatric specialty. These are provided in the form of average daily numbers in Tables 2 and 3.
| Table 2: Average Daily Number of Inpatient Admissions to Paediatric Specialties during 2010/11 |
| Hospital | Average Daily Number of Admissions |
| Altnagelvin | 9.5 |
| Antrim | 8.6 |
| Causeway | 4.0 |
| Craigavon | 7.1 |
| Daisy Hill | 4.3 |
| Erne | 5.2 |
| Lagan Valley | 0.1 |
| Mid Ulster | 0 |
| Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children | 12.5 |
| Royal Maternity | 1.2 |
| Royal Victoria | 0 |
| Tyrone County | 0 |
| Ulster | 12.5 |
Source: Hospital Inpatient System
Notes:
Paediatric Specialties have been defined as (142) Paediatric Dentistry, (171) Paediatric Surgery, (420) Paediatrics and (421) Paediatric Neurology.
It must be noted that the data presented in Tables 2 and 3 will not represent all patients that will come into contact with a paediatric consultant.
Table 3: Average Daily Outpatient Attendances (Seen - New and Review) during 2010/11 - Paediatric Specialties
| HSC Hospital | Average Daily Number of Attendances |
| Belfast City | 0.2 |
| Ards | 2.7 |
| Ulster | 20.1 |
| Royal Victoria | 0.0 |
| Royal Maternity | 2.9 |
| RBHSC | 55.8 |
| Muckamore Abbey | 7.1 |
| Lagan Valley | 0.9 |
| Downe | 1.0 |
| Causeway Hospital | 11.5 |
| Moyle | 1.9 |
| Whiteabbey | 1.0 |
| Mid Ulster | 3.6 |
| Antrim | 15.3 |
| Waveney | 2.6 |
| Armagh Community | 5.2 |
| South Tyrone | 3.3 |
| Banbridge | 1.4 |
| Lurgan | 0.2 |
| Craigavon Area | 11.5 |
| Daisy Hill | 8.9 |
| Bluestone (formerly Craigavon Area PNU) | 0.8 |
| Altnagelvin Area | 20.4 |
| Roe Valley (Outpatients) | 0.4 |
| Gransha | 1.9 |
| Erne | 7.9 |
| Tyrone County | 5.7 |
Source: Quarterly Outpatient Activity Return (QOAR)
Notes:
Paediatric Specialties have been defined as (142) Paediatric Dentistry, (171) Paediatric Surgery, (420) Paediatrics and (421) Paediatric Neurology.
It must be noted that the data presented in Tables 2 and 3 will not represent all patients that will come into contact with a paediatric consultant.