In a bid to reduce delays children are facing with serious spinal conditions, a new ten-point plan has been revealed.
Twenty extra staff will be hired under the new measures to reduce waiting time for children with scoliosis, reports the Irish Independent yesterday.
The Children’s Hospital Group and parents drew up the plan.
Additional funding was allocated in 2018 to the tune of €9.3m and will be used to finance the project.
In comparison to 371 surgeries carried out last year, 76 additional surgeries will be provided this year, says the Irish Independent.
Despite reductions on the waiting list, 206 children are still on the list.
A little under half of these children are on an 'active' list and a further 28 have been waiting over four months.
Outpatient appointments have seen only slight improvements, with reductions going from 369 to 272 between May and June.
The additional hiring of 20 more staff in various positions will aid children's access to both assessment and treatment.
The plan also details that two general paediatric surgeons will be recruited.
The Irish Independent report said this will hopefully allow two spinal surgeons to solely concentrate on operations for children with scoliosis at the end of the year.
Access to MRI scans for children in Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin has also been promised.
Claire Cahill of ScolioNetwork representing families spoke about the outlines of the plans.
The key to the project succeeding in reducing waiting times according to Mrs Cahill is “delivery and implementation” of the plan.
