Health | Waiting lists for scoliosis patients

To ask the Minister for Health the reason that plans to meet the requirements of scoliosis patients cannot be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY
I sincerely regret that children can experience a long waiting time for scoliosis treatment, and I remain conscious of the burden that this places on them and their families.

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.