Consultants criticise limit on orthopaedic surgeries

CONSULTANTS have criticised the Health Service Executive’s move to limit the number of joint replacements in the north-east, a service arthritic patients “lived for”.

From next week orthopaedic theatres in Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan, Co Meath, will not used on Wednesdays and Fridays and the orthopaedic department will close for three weeks in December.

The HSE said that to contain costs it had to look at reducing elective work but would be working to minimise the impact of this on patients, in so far as it was practical.

But orthopaedic and anaesthetic consultants stated yesterday they could not mutely accept the 40% cutback in the service that served the needs of 380,000 people in Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan.

They said the cutback followed a five-week closure over the summer.

“Orthopaedic elective surgery is not some optional extra to be supplied in good times and denied in bad,” the consultants stated.

They pointed out that arthritic pain in their patients was severe and the curtailment would result in 20 fewer patients being treated per week. “The proposal specifically limits the number of joint replacements. This is a procedure that arthritic patients live for. As clinicians we are obliged to advocate for our patients.”

The average cost to the exchequer for a patient to have a hip replacement in Navan was €5,000. They claimed the cost rose to €12,000 for a patient to have their treatment arranged outside the region by the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

According to the HSE, consultant orthopaedic surgeons are to review their lists of patients scheduled for treatment and will “clinically prioritise” them. It “very much regretted” any delay for patients.