Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Healy. I am aware of the work done by Arthritis Ireland - I have taken a special interest in that - and iCan. The aim of the presentation that the latter made this week was to increase awareness of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, JIA, and to highlight the need for additional services. This is a common disease of childhood. It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 children under 16 years of age with juvenile arthritis.

The Minister for Health is aware of the challenges and has met representatives of Arthritis Ireland to discuss service needs in the health service. The increased investment in the health services will be helpful in dealing more effectively with these issues, as will the new children's hospital, where there will be an opportunity to put the new paediatric models of work into play once it is built.

The rheumatology specialty continues to be one of the most rapidly growing services in Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, accounting for the highest number of medical day case patients per year. This demand has had an effect on waiting lists for paediatric rheumatology services. The Minister is awaiting the HSE's service plan. He will address the question of how many consultant paediatric rheumatologists are required in so far as resources permit, but he is conscious of the need for more consultants in the context of children with this condition.

A number of initiatives have been undertaken. For example, the paediatric rheumatology consultants in Crumlin were removed from the general medical roster, which has facilitated a greater focus on rheumatology services. That is important. The theatre closure situation is slowly improving, which will have a positive impact on access to joint injections for Crumlin patients. The HSE has developed a national model of care for paediatric health care services, including the development of a hub-and-spoke model of care for paediatric rheumatology as part of a national clinical network in paediatrics. A key priority for the children's hospital group is to develop a shared strategy to achieve the integration of services, including rheumatology, in advance of the move to the new children's hospital.

This is a difficult condition for children and their families. It requires ongoing intensive care. The Minister for Health and the HSE have been taking some actions to improve the situation, but more investment is clearly necessary.

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