Scoliosis surgery delays
Deputy McDonald raised the long waits for children needing scoliosis procedures and said earlier promises on maximum waiting times had not been met. The Taoiseach said he was committed to reducing waits and that funding and staffing had been provided, though Covid disrupted procedures.
There are currently more than 200 children waiting on scoliosis procedures. That is up 25% in two years, and almost half of these children are waiting for more than six months. This makes a mockery of the promise made by Deputy Harris, as Minister for Health, some three years ago, that no patient would wait more than four months.
Serious delays in scoliosis surgery have been a huge problem long before the pandemic. As children wait for their surgery, they are not able to live a full life. Some live in pain from the time they get up in the morning until they go to bed at night.
Children with scoliosis should not have to stand at the Dáil protesting their situation but, sadly, that is what young Sophie Redmond had to do. I spoke to the Taoiseach about Ms Redmond last week.
The Taoiseach needs to face up to this problem now. These children and their families need real action. They need a plan from the Government and that means more specialists and nurses, and more beds to reduce waiting times.
I ask the Taoiseach to respond to those 200 children currently waiting on their scoliosis procedures. What is his message to them?
Comment on this
My message is that I am committed to doing everything I possibly can to reduce the times for children waiting for scoliosis surgery. There were 255 scoliosis procedures up to the end of October of this year. That compares with 319 spinal procedures for the same period last year. Unfortunately, in March, April and May, because of Covid-19, there was a collapse in the number of procedures and that has had an impact.
Funding is not the issue. Funding was provided for the recruitment of approximately 60 whole-time equivalents in the past 18 months to enable the expansion of paediatric orthopaedic services, including scoliosis services. Work is under way, for example, in discussions with Cappagh, if Cappagh can be of assistance to Crumlin, and also, in terms of the UK, Stanmore is a facility that is available as well for scoliosis. However, I will be engaging with the Minister for Health.
I have written back to Ms Redmond as well. It is difficult for the children concerned and I will do everything I can to try to help.