HSE will not fund boy’s foreign treatment

THE HSE has refused to fund specialised overseas treatment for a Down syndrome child despite a recommendation from his doctor that he be treated in London.

JJ Kane, 9, who has sleep apnoea, joint hypermobility and juvenile arthritis, applied for HSE funding under the treatment abroad scheme after his consultant paediatric rheumatologist, Dr Orla Killeen, recommended that he travel to Great Ormond St for a treatment programme she said was not available in Ireland.

Dr Killeen, who works at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin, said her hospital did not have the required expertise. JJ’s parents Fran and Fergal applied for funding for overseas treatment, but were turned down. A HSE spokesperson said the service was available “in other paediatric hospitals”, despite Dr Killeen’s advice to the contrary.

On RTÉ radio yesterday, Fran Kane said JJ frequently had to resort to his wheelchair after “10-15 minutes walking” because his feet couldn’t support him any longer. She said they had been unable to locate the services the HSE said were available in here.

“We can’t find those services and we have asked them where are those services. We don’t want to go to London, I’ll be leaving my husband and daughter behind for two weeks, but they said we have to access them ourselves, but we can’t find them.”

The Kanes have now appealed against the refusal and the HSE will issue a response within 10 days.