Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, who has been unavoidably detained.

The availability of dedicated urological input is particularly relevant for children with spina bifida, a highly complex physical disability. On average, 30 children are born each year in Ireland with open spina bifida, the most severe form of the condition. Best practice is that there are multiple professionals involved on a spina bifida team. Early intervention by a specialist and local team is essential to optimise long-term functioning of the children in question and prevent medical complications later in life.

The Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, is the national tertiary care centre for spina bifida. All infants born in Ireland with spina bifida are transferred to Temple Street after birth for ongoing neonatal management. Children with spina bifida are seen by a multidisciplinary team at Temple Street which includes a consultant paediatrician with a special interest in spina bifida, a spina bifida nurse specialist and neurosurgery input.

The model of care being developed by the Health Service Executive is to share care between the specialist team in Temple Street and the local team. The best care should be provided nearest to the patient's home, with guidance and support from the specialist team. However, it is acknowledged that many complex issues are best managed by the specialist team.

The multidisciplinary spina bifida clinic was established in Temple Street in February 2011. However, there has not been any dedicated urological input to date. A recruitment process was under way in 2009-2010, from which the hospital hoped to recruit a consultant urologist. Unfortunately, the recruitment process did not produce a suitable candidate for the post and a further recruitment process in 2012-2013 was not successful either. However, a new recruitment process is in train. The post is with the national recruitment service, to be advertised by the Public Appointments Service. The HSE is hopeful that this new recruitment process will succeed in hiring a suitable candidate.

While awaiting the appointment of a consultant urologist, spina bifida patients are being reviewed by a consultant surgeon who has been granted honorary status at the hospital. The hospital has also been in negotiations to establish a regular clinic with a UK paediatric urologist. This is complete and dates have been scheduled for 17 and 18 October and in December for visits from the UK paediatric urologist. An appropriate service level agreement is in place.

Consultants at the Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, have identified patients requiring this support. As an interim arrangement, children requiring urgent urological input are prioritised clinically and seen in the United Kingdom under the treatment abroad scheme. All patients are being kept under regular review and are referred to the UK case by case basis for treatment, pending the appointment of a permanent urologist.

This Government is acutely aware of the challenges that patients with spina bifida and urological conditions generally and their families face in managing their care. The Department is committed to providing the best possible health service and will continue to work with the HSE to ensure the best possible outcomes for spina bifida patients.