Child arthritis service cut for doctor’s leave

A NATIONAL full-time service for children with a potentially crippling condition is to be reduced to two days from next week when the doctor who oversees it goes on maternity leave.

From the start of November, children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis attending Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin (OLCHC) will have access to the relevant specialist only on Mondays and Fridays.

Crumlin’s consultant paediatric rheumatologist, Dr Orla Killeen, is due to go on maternity leave and, although a locum post was advertised internationally, not a single candidate applied. A spokesperson for OLCHC confirmed this was the case. Dr Killeen is the only permanent full-time paediatric rheumatologist in the country.

To maintain the service an arrangement has been made with Children’s University Hospital (CUH) Temple St, which will involve one of its consultant paediatricians, Dr Clodagh Lowry, running clinics in Crumlin two days a week.

Dr Lowry is a part-time consultant who specialises in rheumatology. She will take on a job with an out-patient waiting list of one year for non-urgent cases. There are currently 160 children on this list. In addition, 440 children have scheduled appointments.

Arthritis Ireland said about 30 urgent cases were waiting up to four months to be seen, while the hospital said all urgent cases are seen “immediately”.

The hospital has already lost its inpatient rehabilitiation programme, specifically for children with chronic pain and active joint inflammation.

It has been suspended since March 2010 due to resource difficulties. Its team has no dedicated psychologist, podiatrist or social worker, and its occupational therapy service is limited.

Arthritis Ireland said while the HSE had assured them that a second full-time paediatric rheumatologist would be appointed next year, it was unfortunate a replacement had not been found prior to Dr Killeen’s departure.

OLCHC said it was “not an issue of funding, but one of the availability of consultants with specialist training in paediatric rheumatology”.

The hospital said parents with concerns should contact the rheumatology team in OLCHC.

* arthritisireland.ie