THE OFFICE of the Minister for Health has been asked to comment on a statement by Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins alleging that the national children’s spinal surgery waiting list will be reduced by at least 100 patients by the end of December.
Deputy Niall Collins, speaking on The Tonight Show on Virgin Media Television this week, said that the spinal surgery waiting list of 138 paediatric patients “will be reduced by at least a hundred by the end of the year, the Minister (for Health) told me”.
When asked to clarify if this meant 38 patients would be left on the list at the beginning of 2025, Deputy Collins reiterated on the current affairs programme: “That’s what the Minister has told me. It’s an absolute priority.”
When asked by this reporter if the statistic was correct, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly’s office replied that “as of 27 September, 362 spinal surgeries have been completed this year to date”.
It explained that while “there are currently 138 children actively waiting for a date for their surgery”, a total of “38 children are currently confirmed for outsourced initiatives in Ireland and abroad”, which included “16 children (who) have received a date to come in for surgery at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh”.
The Minister’s office did not include a timeline for these surgeries.
According to latest figures published by CHI, there were 248 children on the spinal surgery waiting list as of September 27, including 138 patients who were ready for surgery and waiting for a date; 18 patients who were assigned a surgery date; 35 patients who had “an initial episode of care” and required a further procedure; and 57 patients who were suspended from the waiting list due to clinical reasons (11 patients), personal reasons (8 patients), or patients who were confirmed to have their surgery in a non-CHI hospital under a CHI initiative (38 patients).
“A number of international outsourcing initiatives have been finalised for children waiting on spinal surgeries. While this option is not suitable for all children waiting on spinal surgeries, dozens of children and families will be able to avail of the option to get their surgery abroad – They include Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London,” Minister Donnelly’s office stated.
“National outsourcing of spinal patients to Blackrock Clinic and the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh is already in progress.”
The Minister’s office said that “CHI has implemented an extended operating theatre day and a ring-fenced theatre for spinal surgery to increase the number of procedures that are being carried out”.
“An out-patient spinal initiative is currently in progress, with the aim of seeing additional new spinal outpatient referrals across additional Saturday clinics and over 300 children have been scheduled at these outpatient clinics through this initiative between April and October this year, in addition to the patients who would be seen at existing clinics.”
A Paediatric Spinal Taskforce, set up by the Health Minister, is being chaired by senior counsel Mark Connaughton, and includes patient advocacy groups, representatives from CHI, the HSE, the Ombudsman for Children, and the Department of Health.
“In line with its terms of reference, the Taskforce has been engaging with stakeholders to drive and oversee improvements in paediatric spinal services,” the Minister’s office said.
“The Minister for Health sincerely regrets that children with scoliosis and spina bifida can experience a long waiting time for treatment, and that is why there has been significant additional investment to help tackle these waiting lists.”
The office said Minister Donnelly “is chairing monthly meetings with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) aimed at improving waiting lists”.
“Several initiatives are underway to support improvements in paediatric spinal services and reduce the time that children are waiting for spinal procedures.”
These initiatives include a “dedicated Paediatric Spinal Surgery Management Unit” established at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), which runs the country’s dedicated paediatric hospitals.
A response is awaited from the Minister’s office as to whether the children’s spinal surgery waiting list will be reduced by 100 by the end of this year, as stated by Deputy Collins.
