Protesters warn HSE to shorten waiting lists

Amputees will give the HSE until June 14 to shorten drastically waiting lists for prosthetic fittings in Cork and Kerry or they will mount further protests.

Following a demonstration outside HSE South headquarters in Cork last week, protesters were given assurances extra money would be found to reduce the waiting list to six weeks.

It recently emerged 120 people are on the waiting list in the South-West. Some have been waiting since last November.

When amputees learned there were no waiting lists for prosthetics in other counties within the HSE South area — including Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, South Tipperary, and Wexford — they decided to protest to highlight their concerns.

John de Ward, whose wife Anne has been waiting for a prosthetic replacement since Dec 17, was one of the organisers of the protest.

He and others subsequently met with Cllr Catherine Clancy (Lab) — who had highlighted the waiting lists — and Kathleen Lynch, the junior health minister with responsibility for disability, along with HSE officials.

“We were promised money would be found to ensure the waiting list is brought back to six weeks,” said John.

“The HSE will hold its next meeting on Jun 14 and if progress hasn’t been made to our satisfaction by then we will protest again.”

Anne said the service being provided by the HSE belonged in a previous century.

Her life has been curtailed because of the waiting list and she still has not been given a date for fitting a new prosthetic.

“I hope they [the HSE] are true to their word,” she said.

Meanwhile, there has been some good news in relation to a 14-year-old boy who had been waiting for a prosthetic leg since last November.

Ronan Kiely from Boherbue, Co Cork, was back in school yesterday after being fitted with the limb. His mother, Margaret, said he was “like a new boy”.

“Since he got the leg fitted he has been in absolutely fantastic form. I have no doubt that if it wasn’t for the publicity he’d still be on the waiting list.”

She said her family would continue to support others on the waiting list.

“If the HSE doesn’t do something by June 14, I will go on another protest and Ronan himself has told me he’ll do the same.”