Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the activity figures for the week of 6 June in Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, where many of these operations and spinal fusions take place. The hospital expects to carry out 196 spinal fusions and 251 other spinal procedures this year and activity figures for the week ending 6 June indicate that so far this year, 69 spinal fusions and 113 other spinal procedures have taken place. Waiting lists show there are 167 patients on the active waiting lists for spinal surgery of whom 102 have been waiting longer than four months. That is against a May target of 68. The Health Service Executive, HSE, advise that patients waiting over four months for surgery are reviewed weekly regarding their treatment plans. In addition, and in line with the scoliosis access plan 2018, the Children's hospital group will prioritise inpatient access in 2018 to include outsourcing of an estimated 51 patients to achieve a four-month waiting time for clinically deemed treatments. We are making progress. It is as simple as that.

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