Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is fully entitled to talk directly to the Minister for Health about any of these serious cases, some of which were raised in an RTE programme some weeks ago. I cannot give the Deputy details regarding Sarah-Ann Mitchell's case, but I will have the Minister respond to him. Reduction of waiting times for scoliosis patients is a major priority for the Minister and he recently met with representatives of the Health Service Executive, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, senior officials in the Department of Health, the CEO of Crumlin hospital and the CEO of the children's hospital group to discuss how it can be achieved. As a result, additional theatre capacity is being provided for scoliosis procedures at Crumlin from April and an orthopaedic post at the hospital will be filled by June. An action plan for scoliosis will be presented to the Minister shortly. In addition, the NTPF, at the Minister's request, will audit practices at each of the hospitals highlighted by the individual cases featured in the "RTE Investigates" programme and report directly to the Minister on its findings.

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