'Children still need care' - Concern over ‘big jump’ in scoliosis surgery waiting list

Due to the impact of Covid-19, fewer scoliosis surgeries  have been completed: 177 between January and August, compared to 236 over the same period last year. File image

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a "big jump" in scoliosis waiting lists, with more than 200 children waiting for life-changing spinal procedures.

HSE figures show that 209 children were waiting for the surgery in August, up 66%, compared to 126 at the same time last year.

Due to the impact of Covid-19, fewer scoliosis surgeries  have been completed: 177 between January and August, compared to 236 over the same period last year.

The Scoliosis Advocacy Network said solutions must be found to avoid further delays and poorer outcomes for children.

Once a clinical decision to operate is made, surgery should take place within six to 12 weeks, the network said, but some parents have been advised that they may have to wait a year.

“To go from 126 children waiting for surgery to 209, that’s a big jump,” Claire Cahill, one of the founders of the advocacy group, said.

“Over the past few weeks, we’ve had a huge increase in parents contacting us about long waits for care. Some parents are very worried at the moment because they haven't yet heard when scheduled surgeries that were cancelled in March will now go ahead,” she added.

The network fears that improvements in scoliosis care are now “slipping backwards” because of Covid-19.

“Covid can't be used as an excuse and we need to think outside the box,” she said, adding that every option should be considered including using private hospitals.

“Parents understand that services have decreased because of Covid-19. At the same time when you have a child in desperate need of surgery that needs to happen too. Children still need care. Their scoliosis hasn’t gone away. There has to be a solution,” she said.

 

The network met with Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman last week and is also seeking a meeting with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.

It also welcomed plans by the HSE to begin publishing, for the first time, comprehensive child-specific waiting list figures in the last quarter of 2020.

“We don't have a true picture at the moment but if we want to look forward and plan services we need to know how many children are waiting for care. It's a basic building block for services and it’s positive that this is now happening,” Mrs Cahill added.