Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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103. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for scoliosis surgery in Merlin Park Hospital, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41571/18]

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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104. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons that had scoliosis surgery in Merlin Park Hospital, County Galway in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41572/18]

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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105. To ask the Minister for Health if there were no surgeries carried out on persons awaiting surgery for scoliosis, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41573/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 105, inclusive, together.

The Saolta Hospital Group has advised that scoliosis surgery is currently carried out at University Hospital Galway (UHG). To date this year UHG has carried out one scoliosis surgery and there are currently seven patients awaiting scoliosis surgery at UHG.

There were no procedures carried out in 2017 and ten were carried out in 2016.

The Saolta Hospital Group advises that the waiting list for spinal surgery is a priority for UHG and work is ongoing to ensure that arrangements are in place in order to facilitate the level of complexity involved in relation to spinal surgery for patients with scoliosis.

At present, UHG has limited capacity to undertake elective spinal procedures but is actively working on developing the elements required to support the service including inpatient beds, high end equipment, theatre capacity, and staffing from within existing resources.