Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2016
503. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that there is an extremely long waiting list for scoliosis patients to meet with a consultant and that the subsequent waiting list for surgery is also very long; the current waiting list periods; his plans to deal with the waiting list for this debilitating condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20649/16]
View answerScoliosis affects approximately 1% of children and adolescents in Ireland. The management of scoliosis is complex and is determined by the severity of the curvature and skeletal maturity.
The most recent waiting list data for procedures showed, as of 30 June 2016, 189 patients aged 18 and under awaiting a procedure in hospitals in Ireland, specifically at Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin (145), Children's University Hospital Temple Street (33), Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital (2) and Tallaght Hospital (9). Of these patients, 23 patients were waiting between 12 and 15 months and 21 patients were waiting longer than 15 months.
These long waiting times are not acceptable, and my Department has been working closely with the HSE to address services pressures, particularly in Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin (OLCHC), which is the largest provider of scoliosis surgery for children and young people. Additional funding of €1.042m was allocated under the 2015 Service Plan to increase capacity at OLCHC, and an additional orthopaedic surgeon, anaesthetist, and support staff, are now in place with recruitment of a further additional orthopaedic surgeon underway. Capital funding was also provided for a new theatre on site to expand theatre capacity further, and this is currently being commissioned. The Children's Hospital Group is proactively working on nurse recruitment to support the opening of the new theatre.
In the interim, significant external capacity was sourced in 2015 for OLCHC patients and 66 patients have been treated at other hospitals, including the Blackrock Clinic and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK. Further potential for additional external capacity to address waiting times is being examined. My Department will continue to work with the HSE and the relevant hospitals to ensure improvements in access to spinal surgery.
