Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 February 2017
113. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the date for the opening of a new operating theatre in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin to deal with children waiting for operations (details supplied); if he will order an independent review of scoliosis services here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4620/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraLong waiting times for scoliosis surgery are not acceptable, and my Department has been working closely with the HSE to address this service pressure.
Additional funding of €1.042m was allocated under the 2015 Service Plan to increase capacity at Crumlin, and further resources of €0.987m were allocated under the 2016 Service Plan for Orthopaedics and Trauma to address service needs in Crumlin which will have a positive effect on access for scoliosis patients. In order to improve access in the short term the HSE Winter Initiative 2016/2017 includes €2m provided specifically for surgery for scoliosis patients. To date under this initiative 78 patients have been reviewed, 54 have been treated, and 4 have received appointments for treatment in February.
The construction of a new orthopaedic theatre in Crumlin is complete and will provide capacity for additional scoliosis activity in 2017. However the use of this theatre is dependent on the recruitment of additional theatre nurses. The Children's Hospital Group is exhausting every recruitment and retention avenue available to them, including international recruitment, to support the opening of the new theatre.
I have met with a number of scoliosis advocacy groups to discuss their concerns and the Children’s Hospital Group has begun a process of engagement with advocacy groups on developing a partnership approach to the design and planning of services for children with scoliosis. Therefore, an independent clinical review of scoliosis services is not required at this time.
The HSE is currently developing a 2017 Waiting List Action Plan for inpatient/daycase procedures to ensure that no patient is waiting more than 15 months by the end of October. My Department will continue to work with the HSE and the relevant hospitals in this context to ensure improvements in access to spinal surgery.
