Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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367. To ask the Minister for Health to amend the current protocols to allow children with scoliosis who are under 14 years of age and whose parents pay private health insurance to access surgery through a private facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4261/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Taking out health insurance is optional. Anyone ordinarily resident in the country is entitled, subject to certain charges, to receive public in-patient and out-patient hospital services. People who do not take out health insurance continue to have the same entitlement to services in the public hospital system.

Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery are unacceptable and I have been clear in my determination that these waiting times are reduced, through additional resources and capacity.

Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin is the largest provider of scoliosis surgery for children and young people. Funding was allocated in 2015 for additional consultant posts including two consultant orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetist and support staff at Crumlin. Capital funding was also provided for a new theatre on site to expand theatre capacity further. The 2016 Service Plan specifically provides for support for the new theatre capacity and the continued development of paediatric scoliosis services to address ongoing capacity deficits.

In order to address waiting times in the interim, patients from Crumlin have been 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.

As a result of these initiatives, at the end of 2015 no child was waiting longer than 15 months for scoliosis surgery. In addition, I am advised that no child is currently waiting longer than 15 months at Crumlin for an outpatient appointment at the hospital. The Department of Health is continuing to work with the HSE, the Children’s Hospital Group and the hospitals themselves to ensure that we continue to make strong progress in addressing this issue and to identify all options to further improve access times for surgery.

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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368. To ask the Minister for Health why children with scoliosis whose conditions are deemed as progressive are waiting up to 18 months for a magnetic resonance imagery scan; the measures being implemented to reduce the waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4262/16]

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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369. To ask the Minister for Health the supports available to children who suffer with scoliosis and the parents of these children who are enduring mental health issues such as depression and anxiety as a result of exorbitant waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4263/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 368 and 369 together.

Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin is the largest provider of scoliosis surgery for children and young people. Funding was allocated in 2015 for additional consultant posts including two consultant orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetist and support staff including at Crumlin. Capital funding was also provided for a new theatre on site to expand theatre capacity further, and the 2016 Service Plan specifically provides for support for the new theatre capacity and the continued development of paediatric scoliosis services to address ongoing capacity deficits.

In order to address waiting times for surgery in the short-term, patients from Crumlin have been 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. As a result of this initiative, 94 scoliosis surgeries were carried out in 2015, 42% more than in 2014. The Department of Health is continuing to work with the HSE, the Children’s Hospital Group and the hospitals themselves to ensure that we continue to make strong progress in addressing this issue and to identify all options to increase capacity to further improve access times for scoliosis surgery.

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