Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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452. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to carry out an independent clinical review of scoliosis services for children here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43704/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The long-term strategy to develop sustainable scoliosis services from 2018 has been prioritised by the Department and the HSE in the 2018 HSE National Service Plan. An additional €9 million has been provided to the HSE in 2018 specifically to develop paediatric orthopaedic services, including further increasing access to scoliosis services.

In September my Department and I met with the Deputy Director General of the HSE and the CEO of the Children’s Hospital Group to discuss their short term and long-term plans to provide a better service for patients and their families.

The increased investment in scoliosis has brought stability to the service and the current capacity for services has expanded. The Children’s Hospital Group advises that 446 procedures will be delivered this year, compared to 371 in 2017, and 224 in 2016. This represents a doubling of activity since 2016.

Waiting list figures for 12 October show 130 patients waiting; this includes patients who have been asked to come in for a procedure, those who have been given a date for a procedure in the near future, and those who are waiting for a date for a procedure.  This represents a reduction of 61, or 32%, in comparison to the same week last year, when the list stood at 191 patients.