Tom Clonan (Independent)
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I am aware that in other areas of CHI, for example, there are general paediatric surgeons who might not have higher specialist training in, for example, neurology. They might not have higher specialist training in complex spinal surgery. They are general paediatric surgeons but do not have the higher specialist training required to deal with some of the complex cases on the scoliosis waiting lists. Some of those cases, for example, are referred internationally to be dealt with by people who do have the higher specialist training. My question relates specifically to the paediatric doctors and consultants. Do they have higher specialist training in this area? Ms Shortt used the word "forensic". My understanding of that is based, for example, on forensic psychiatry. An adult psychiatrist who has training in forensics deals with offenders and perpetrators, not with the survivors or targets of such crimes. I am curious about exactly what Ms Shortt means by paediatric specialists.

What courses do they do internationally? Where do they get this higher specialist training? While a special interest is fine and I commend someone on having a special interest, I would not like to be in row 17 of an Airbus that is being flown by a very enthusiastic pilot who has an interest in Airbuses but who does not have the proper rating. There is a concern, which has been raised here and elsewhere, about the HSE appointing doctors to consultant posts who do not have higher specialist training.