Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Scoliosis is a medical condition that can cause significant physical and psychological distress. The history of its treatment in Ireland has been one of limited resources and long waiting lists for surgical interventions. Some children have had to wait many years before receiving the necessary orthopaedic surgery. The delay in treatment has devastating consequences for their overall well-being. Delayed surgery exacerbates the conditions of children with scoliosis. As time passes without intervention, their spinal curves worsen, leading to increased pain and discomfort. Delayed surgery not only fails to correct the curvature but allows it progress rapidly over time, leaving these children to endure prolonged periods of physical suffering due to insufficient medical attention. A protracted waiting time often results in a transition for these children from independent mobility to wheelchair reliance. The inability to undergo timely surgical intervention means they miss out on crucial treatments that could preserve or improve their mobility and significantly increases the likelihood of wheelchair dependence. The consequences of prolonged waiting times extend far beyond worsening physical conditions. They also include the need for more complex procedures as a result of delayed surgeries. For some, extended waiting periods can make surgical intervention impossible and the patient must bear lifelong pain and limitations resulting from untreated scoliosis.

The Government set a target of no longer than four months for people to wait for surgery. It has significantly failed to reach this target for children waiting for surgery for scoliosis or spina bifida. Certain surgical procedures have raised concerns and need to be fully investigated. The children and families must be put first. They are at the centre of this scandal and should be central to the Government and HSE response. After years of campaigning and pressure on the Government, there seemed to be some light at the end of the tunnel for these children. Unfortunately, it turned into a false hope for many of them. This is a crucial surgical procedure which is time sensitive. The longer the wait, the more complex the surgery and the more likely lifelong complications become, all of which could be avoided with early surgical intervention. This looks likely to continue as figures show little, if any, improvement on waiting times for patients.

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