Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter and will take the opportunity to outline the Government's position. As a constituent of mine is on the same waiting list, I have some understanding of the matter as a local Deputy, as well as in my role as Minister.

Scoliosis in children and young people is predominantly managed at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. The hospital has an agreed capacity to carry out 58 full spinal cases per year as part of its annual service level agreement with the Health Service Executive. A total of 68 full spinal surgeries were carried out in 2013, ten more than the number for which funded had been provided. In total, 147 procedures were carried out in 2013. It included children who required repeat procedures and rod lengthening, as well as full spinal surgery.

Surgery is provided in two full day theatre sessions per week and there are ten specialist orthopaedic beds in Crumlin. There are two orthopaedic consultants, each with a half-time commitment to provide paediatric spinal surgery, providing this service in Crumlin. They have been jointly appointed between Crumlin and the paediatric adolescent adult spinal services at Tallaght. Approximately 5% of cases, predominantly those with neuromuscular disorders, will require high dependency unit or paediatric intensive care unit access after the operation. The average length of stay for a patient having spinal surgery is normally seven to ten days.

There has been an increase in the number of outpatient referrals for spinal review and a consequent increase in surgical demands. Hence, waiting times for outpatients and those awaiting scoliosis surgery are challenging. The latest available figures indicate that 1,389 patients are on the waiting list for spinal review, while 190 have been waiting for an outpatient appointment for more than one year. There are target waiting times for surgery, but there are 108 children waiting longer than 20 weeks for this service.

The HSE has prioritised a business case for additional capacity for this service. The Department of Health and the HSE are fully conscious of service needs. The resource requirements to address waiting times and service needs are being considered in the context of the 2015 service planning process which is under way. In parallel, the children's hospital group which comprises the hospitals in Crumlin, Temple Street and the paediatric service at Tallaght is working to identify a comprehensive plan for the utilisation of all orthopaedic resources in the two relevant hospitals, Tallaght and Crumlin. This would address needs in the areas of trauma, bone cancer and other orthopaedic requirements, as well as spinal services. The Department and I will work with the HSE to ensure service needs and waiting times in this area will be addressed having regard to the overall level of resources available to the HSE.

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