Nobody wants to see, or have, children experiencing long waiting time for treatment. Thank you to children, families, medical professionals and advocacy groups who are working with the Minister to ensure that no child is left waiting for surgery
The Minister for Health established a dedicated Paediatric Spinal Surgery Management Unit earlier this year.
The Spinal Surgery Management Unit is focusing on increasing capacity and the number of spinal surgeries being done and delivering improvements to the waiting lists. This includes both national and international outsourcing. Surgeons recently travelled to Dublin from both London and New York to see patients who were interested in travelling. Families will be fully supported in accessing these pathways if it is the right option for their children. The support package for patients travelling abroad includes flights, accommodation, transport, and a subsistence rate for expenses.
Government has allocated significant additional investment to help tackle waiting lists. In 2022, 509 spinal procedures were carried out, and in 2023, 464 spinal procedures were carried out, compared to 380 for the same period in 2019. This represents a 34% increase and a 22% increase respectively compared to 2019.
