Children with open sores and dislocated hips forced to wait four years for surgery

Amanda Coughlan said she was not surprised by an Ombudsman’s report on a girl who waited five years for spinal fusion surgery. Picture: Ray Ryan

Children with open sores and dislocated hips are among those waiting as long as four years for surgery with Children’s Health Ireland, an advocate working with families affected by spina bifida has said.

Some 54 children have waited longer than one year for scoliosis surgery, the hospital group said. This is despite funding of €19m last year to tackle scoliosis waiting lists.