Orthopaedic surgeon’s post empty for 8 months

THE south of the country remains without an orthopaedic surgeon to operate on babies with dislocated hips, eight months after the retirement of the only specialist qualified to do so.

A replacement for Anthony McGuinness, who retired last April on health grounds, has yet to be recruited, forcing the extension of a temporary arrangement with Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.

Under this arrangement, brokered by the Health Service Executive South, four orthopaedic paediatric surgeons travel to Cork on their days off to treat children.

However, the Crumlin surgeons are only in a position to provide outpatient clinics and any baby or child in need of surgery must travel to Dublin.

This includes babies born with congenital dislocation of the hip or club foot, and children in need of continuing corrective surgery into their teens, including plaster cast changes. For parents travelling from the south, this can involve an eight-hour round-trip.

Crumlin’s senior orthopaedic surgeon, Ozzie Fogarty, said that before the retirement of Mr McGuinness, some of the more complicated cases were referred to Dublin, but now routine cases are also being referred.

“On average, two or three children a week are referred to Crumlin,” said Mr Fogarty.

“The service really needs to be put on a firmer footing, we can’t go on like this indefinitely.”

He is one of the team of four who travels to Cork on a weekly rotational basis to provide outpatient clinics. He and his colleagues treat more than 100 children per month from newborn to the age of 15.

A statement from the HSE South said an application has been submitted to the Consultant Appointments Unit “for approval to proceed with the appointment of a replacement orthopaedic surgeon with an interest in paediatrics”.

However, failure to reach an agreement with hospital consultants on a revised contract has delayed the recruitment process, according to the HSE.

“As this appointment will be made under the new consultants’ contract, approval cannot issue until the negotiations are completed,” the statement said.

The retirement of Mr McGuinness is one of a number of blows dealt to paediatric services in the HSE South.

In 2005, Dr David Coghlan, a consultant paediatrician who specialised in treating disabled children, quit his post to move to Dublin, citing frustration at a lack of resources. He has yet to be replaced on a permanent basis.

The HSE last night said his replacement is due to take up the post in May 2008 and a locum will continue to deal with Dr Coughlan’s caseload in the meantime.

The replacement is understood to be coming from Newcastle in England.