Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

Once again, I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil for the attention he has given to this important matter. As I already said, I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Once again, the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot speak on individual cases, but I do want to acknowledge the matters he has raised in respect of his constituents.

The procedure needs to go ahead as scheduled. That is hugely important. I acknowledge the angst and anxiety caused to families when operations and procedures are cancelled. I acknowledge that. I will bring the three points the Deputy has raised to the attention of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and the Department. I suggest the Deputy also communicate formally with the Department on this matter.

The Minister for Health is conscious of the impact the prolonged waiting times are having on patients and their families. The Deputy has brought up the specific case of his constituents. The waiting list action plan 2025 follows an outcomes-informed approach and specifically focuses on reducing the length of time that patients wait for care. The total CHI paediatric orthopaedic waiting list has reduced compared with this time last year. Importantly, the length of time children are waiting has also decreased. Nevertheless, the Deputy raised the specific situation of his constituent, and I acknowledge that.

Work is ongoing to improve services, including a migration to a central referral system and a national reporting initiative to increase capacity. The HSE CEO has also commissioned an audit to assess the governance and inequity in access to care within CHI, especially regarding the balance between public and private patient management. Further consideration will be given to any additional actions required.

The HSE CHI improvement steering group, co-chaired by the REO for Dublin and the midlands and the chief clinical officer, is co-ordinating the oversight of the implementation of the recommendations from the completed reviews, including the audit of developmental dysplasia hip surgeries in CHI. I assure the House that the Minister for Health remains fully committed to the improvement of waiting lists, including in respect of children awaiting paediatric orthopaedic surgeries.

See this speech in context