Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

455. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide sufficient funding to facilitate persons with scoliosis who are categorised by their consultants as urgent cases needing immediate surgery; if he will intervene on behalf of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who has already suffered irreparable damage due to the inordinate delay in having this operation carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42862/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government is clear that long waiting times for scoliosis surgery both in Crumlin and in Galway are unacceptable. As Minister for Health, I am determined that these waiting times are to be addressed as a priority, with the focus on additional resources and capacity.

Scoliosis in children and young people is predominantly managed at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. Additional funding was allocated in 2015 for additional consultant posts including two consultant orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetist and support staff at Crumlin. Capital funding has also been provided for a new theatre on site to expand theatre capacity further.

In the interim, patients from Crumlin are being transferred to other hospitals where capacity is available and where that is clinically appropriate. These include Temple Street, Cappagh, Tallaght and the Blackrock Clinic. External capacity has also been identified at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore in the UK.

These measures in total have more than doubled capacity for this surgery for patients on the Crumlin waiting list in 2015.

Additional consultant orthopaedic surgeons have also been appointed at Galway University Hospital to support the spinal service there. In the short term, Galway is planning to assign five dedicated beds to support this service and when the new ward block at Galway is completed, this will increase to eight dedicated beds.

The HSE is continuing to work with the Children’s Hospital Group, Saolta Hospital Group and the individual hospitals to identify all options to increase capacity further to improve access times for surgery.

As the specific issues raised are a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

456. To ask the Minister for Health the details of the agreement and arrangement between Letterkenny University Hospital in County Donegal, the Health Service Executive and the private clinic in Ballykelly in County Derry in relation to public patients from County Donegal accessing health care and services at Ballykelly, especially in relation to magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, scans and computed tomography, CT, scans. [42865/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.