Treatment fund will not pay for scoliosis surgeries

PARENTS of children seeking urgent scoliosis operations have been told the National Treatment Purchase Fund will not pay for them, despite assurances from Health Minister Mary Harney three weeks ago.

The angry parents of one 13-year-old girl with the condition has accused the minister of getting her facts wrong about the capacity of the NTPF to pay for scoliosis operations. Their daughter, who recently had one operation rescheduled and who writes about her experiences in today’s Irish Examiner, has been attending Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.

In response to a Parliamentary Question on May 21 from Fine Gael’s Dr James Reilly, Ms Harney said: “I understand that the HSE and the authorities at Crumlin are seeking to agree arrangements with the National Treatment Purchase Fund for a number of patients who are suffering with this condition to be treated as soon as possible. I would hope early progress can be made in this regard.”