Soaring waiting lists for juvenile arthritis patients
THERE has been a 400% increase in the number of children waiting at least 18 months to see an expert in juvenile arthritis, according to Arthritis Ireland. It which said the rise was ‘exponential’. ‘It is as common as childhood diabetes and figures up to the end of August reveal that 565 children are still waiting to be seen by one of the two specialists,’ said John Church, the chief executive of Arthritis Ireland. As Arthritis Week starts tomorrow, one sufferer – 16-year-old Darcy White – has spoken about her experience of an ‘excruciating’ condition. She waited almost two years to be seen by a specialist.
‘Most days when I come home from school, I lie in bed,’ said Darcy, who lives in Kildare town with parents Marianne and Dave and her sister Willow. ‘Children should not be left waiting in pain.’ Marianne said. ‘If she had seen a consultant earlier, it would have prevented her joints deteriorating further. The damage happens while you are waiting to be seen.’
Arthritis Ireland has started a petition calling on Health Minister Simon Harris to appoint a third consultant paediatric rheumatologist.
Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin, where the specialists are based, said: ‘A business case for a third consultant rheumatologist was submitted to the HSE. All urgent patients have been triaged.’