Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 11 November 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion

Photo of Cathal CroweCathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for being here today. I apologise as I have just come into the meeting in the past few moments. Since moving back to this building, we often dart between the Dáil Chamber and here. I have been following the meeting and reading the opening statements.

I will begin where Professor McCormack left off just a moment ago. We heard there are theatres available and fully kitted out, ready to accept patients, but they are closed. That is pretty damning. I am glad he spoke so frankly here this morning. Many parents of kids with scoliosis in particular contact our offices and it seems there is an endless wait for that all-important surgery. The witness just spelled out a solution and he very clearly asked for our help a moment ago. Loud and clear messaging must come from this committee that we want to see such bursting through the bureaucratic red tape. We want to see the theatres operating on a Saturday and Sunday so we can start eating into these extensive and long waiting lists. That must be a key outcome of the work we are undertaking this morning.

We have all received quite a number of emails in recent days. One that caught my eye was a mother who referenced metallosis and she went into quite a bit of detail about various rods that were implanted in her son. She did not name the particular type of rod but she mentioned that in recent months it had its CE safety mark removed. On top of that it is now under scrutiny by the Health Products Regulatory Authority. I know the product and its name but I cannot reference it. How prevalent is the problem after surgery and implanting? How often does a case appear in theatre that must have rods extracted and replaced, or where problems are caused right up to metallosis?

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