The level of frustration within Government at waiting times for children needing orthopaedic surgery cannot be overstated, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has told the board of Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).
In a letter sent in August to CHI, which runs the three paediatric hospitals in Dublin, Mr Donnelly said there had been a considerable improvement in the “level of engagement, drive and determination from CHI to reform its management in this area”.
However, the Minister told board chairman Jim Browne it was “unacceptable that greater progress was not made before now”.
“I cannot overstate the level of frustration within Government,” he said.
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The Fianna Fáil TD indicated he wanted to have a more detailed discussion “on all this” after he had received the report of an audit he had sought from the HSE into how funding provided to CHI for surgery for children had been used.
Mr Donnelly and the Government have been strongly criticised by the Opposition for some time over delays in providing surgery for children on waiting lists at CHI.
At her party’s ardfheis at the weekend, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was “a scandal” that children with scoliosis and spina bifida were left in agony, waiting years for operations.
“In 2017, [then minister for health] Simon Harris made a promise to these children. He broke that promise. So, no more delay,” she said. “These children must get the care they need now.”
Mr Donnelly some months ago said he had been told in 2022 by CHI that it would ensure that no child would have to wait more than four months for spinal surgeries, including scoliosis procedures, by the end of that year. He said he had subsequently allocated €19 million specifically to reduce waiting times and improve spinal and orthopaedic services.
However, the Minister told the Seanad in July that these funds were not used in the manner in which he had intended and waiting lists remained “unacceptably long, placing a huge burden on the children and young people themselves, as well as their families”.
There were 251 children on a waiting list for spinal surgery as of last April, according to CHI.
“Based on engagements I had with advocacy groups, I asked the HSE internal audit function to review the allocation of the €19 million committed to spinal and orthopaedic services to ensure the maximum benefit is being derived from this investment,” Mr Donnelly said.
“I am awaiting the final report of this review. However, it is clear to me from initial discussions that the majority of that funding, intended for spinal services, was allocated far more broadly across Children’s Health Ireland.”
Mr Donnelly told Mr Browne in his letter that the Government hoped to send some patients to the US for their surgery and he had visited a number of hospitals there that are expected to take part in the initiative. The Minister said he had been chairing a monthly meeting to “ensure a comprehensive model of care is rolled out and to expedite progress”.
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