Orthopaedic specialists at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin, have said there are no appointments available for children to be assessed at the hospital for routine problems with bones and muscles until April 2006.
They have also warned in a letter to hospital management that they are no longer in a position to give appointments to GPs for new routine paediatric referrals. They will deal with emergency referrals only.
The letter, signed by the hospital's four orthopaedic surgeons, was copied to Minister for Health Mary Harney and chief executive of the Health Service Executive Prof Brendan Drumm.
In it they predicted the current situation was likely to get worse when the term of employment of one of the surgeons ends next March. "We will be left with three orthopaedic surgeons again, trying to provide an inadequate and unsafe service," they wrote.
"It is unfortunate that we have to revert to the practice of not seeing patients referred from GPs," they wrote, adding that they had hoped permission would have been granted by now for a permanent replacement for the surgeon who leaves next March. "This has not happened despite our numerous representations to the appropriate authorities and we are not optimistic that the situation will change," the letter said. "It is also likely that we will be cancelling outpatient clinics in the near future."
Dr Liam Twomey, Fine Gael's health spokesman, said it could be serious for a child having to wait until next April or longer for a routine assessment for something such as a limp. GPs who were concerned would probably refer patients to A&E, causing further problems there, he said.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Féin's health spokesman, described as "scandalous" the fact that the orthopaedic surgical team at Crumlin could not take any further referrals from GPs.
He said Ms Harney had to take ultimate responsibility for the inadequate numbers of consultant surgeons in the hospital which had led to this situation.
Last evening a spokeswoman for the hospital said she understood the HSE had now approved the filling of the post which will be vacated in March. It is understood the approval came from the HSE yesterday, a day after the surgeons' letter was written.