Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I will update the House that I have now met all of the advocacy groups representing the children, young people and families affected by spinal conditions. I thank them sincerely for their time and their honesty. I have heard directly from them about the impact that gaps in communication and long waiting times can and do have on children and families and I have assured them of my commitment and the commitment of this Government to improving paediatric spinal services.

By way of background, the House will be aware that more than €30 million has been allocated to reduce waiting lists in this area over recent years. Targeted initiatives have been making some difference in how we deliver spinal services. It is important to point out that CHI has a ring-fenced theatre providing dedicated capacity. GPs can now access a clear referral pathway to prioritise urgent cases. Additional outpatient clinics have seen more than 600 new patients, which has reduced the waiting list for initial assessment by 40% year on year. We need to maximise capacity. Surgeons have been given the pathways to do so through national and international outsourcing.

These initiatives are driving some progress. In 2023, 513 spinal surgeries were completed, which represents a 35% increase on 2019. The initiatives are delivering results for many children and families, although I accept not for all. The number of children waiting longer than four months dropped by 37% last year. At the end of April, 68 children remained on active spinal waiting lists for longer than four months. This is an 18% reduction compared with last year. However, as I have told the House before, what matters is the Sláintecare targets.

We must not let the numbers distract from the reality. Progress on the part of CHI and the people in charge of delivering these surgeries has been too slow. Too many children are still waiting. The operational plan I received for spinal services did not propose a significant level of activity to meaningfully address the waiting lists or a level of activity that is commensurate with the level of investment that has been put in.

When I met the CHI board on 14 and 28 April, I made it clear that addressing these waiting lists is a top priority and that we need a new and much more ambitious plan. I have asked for a revised plan to be submitted without further delay that effectively addresses the waiting list, obviously with the focus on the longest waiters and recognising the various levers that have been provided to the Government.

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