State ‘has failed’ spinal children

THE Health Minister says children left on waiting lists for spinal surgeries have been ‘failed by the State and by their health service’.

Children’s Health Ireland revealed last month that 313 children are waiting for spinal surgery across three hospitals.

Minister Stephen Donnelly has said he is ‘not remotely satisfied’ with the amount of time these children are forced to wait for their surgery.

‘Unfortunately, these children have been failed in spite of huge efforts by a lot of surgeons, nursing staff, and clinicians,’ he said.

Mr Donnelly said he has established a dedicated spinal service, which will transition into the National Children’s Hospital when it opens next year.

The minister welcomed the expansion of an independent review into surgeries carried out by one surgeon at Temple Street Children’s Hospital commissioned by the HSE last year.

The review was ordered after internal reviews showed serious incidents surrounding complex spinal surgeries including the death of one child and significant post-operatives complications.

It also emerged that unauthorised spring devices had been implanted in three patients, the devices were not medically approved and did not go through proper procurement procedures.

The expert carrying out the review, Mr Selvadurai Nayagam, a consultant in orthopaedics and trauma at Royal Liverpool children’s hospital, has decided to include another 17 ‘cases of concern’ linked to the same consultant.

Mr Donnelly said he told Mr Nayagam that he has ‘carte blanche’ to look as deep and wide as he wished for the review.