Mary Lou McDonald
Question:523. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting orthopaedic surgery at each of the Children’s Health Ireland hospitals in tabular form. [44525/22]
View answerWednesday, 14 September 2022
Questions (523)
Written answers
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals are still impacted by operational challenges arising from the pandemic.
The HSE has confirmed to the Department that patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
Improving access to paediatric orthopaedic services for children, including for children and young people with Spina Bifida, remains a commitment of Government. Paediatric orthopaedics is a priority area within the 2022 Waiting List Action Plan. €17.43 million has been provided this year to support additional activity to reduce waiting times for children waiting for orthopaedic procedures, including scoliosis and spina bifida, across CHI hospitals and Cappagh Orthopaedic Hospital.
Additional activity has been undertaken to date. By the end of August 2022, 342 scoliosis procedures had taken place across CHI Crumlin, CHI Temple Street, and Cappagh. This is in comparison to the same period in 2019 (pre-Covid) where 251 procedures had taken place. The Department of Health continues to monitor waiting lists for paediatric orthopaedic procedures and meets with the HSE weekly as part of the Waiting List Action Plan 2022 working group meetings.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has provided the attached table which outlines the number of children waiting for orthopaedic surgery in each of the Children’s Health Ireland hospitals by time-band at the end of August 2022.