Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly met with patient advocacy groups yesterday evening to listen to their concerns and outline in more detail the plans to reduce waiting times for children and adolescents awaiting surgery for such conditions as Scoliosis and Spina Bifida.
The Minister met with the Scoliosis Advocacy Network Group and representatives from the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Pediatric Advocacy Group.
On Friday, the Minister committed to having no child waiting longer than four months for surgery by the end of this year.
€19 million has been allocated to support both current and capital funding and further investment through the 2022 Waiting List Action Plan Fund and this will be directed to provide additional theatre access at Temple Street and Crumlin hospitals, as well as diagnostic MRI capacity to be brought on stream this year at both sites.
There will also be greater access to pediatric theatre lists at Cappagh Hospital this year to tackle the waiting lists for orthopedic surgery.
The Scoliosis Advocacy Group describes the meeting as positive and says the extra funding must result in real change for children spending their childhoods waiting for surgery.
