Cork mother cautiously welcomes additional €19m for children in need of orthopaedic surgery

A Cork mother whose son has spina bifida has welcomed the announcement that an extra €19m will be available for children who are in need of orthopaedic surgery.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that any child with spina bifida or scoliosis, who was in need of surgery, would have it done within four months at the end of the year.

The news comes just weeks after Cork Spina Bifida Association chairwoman Valerie Hennessy called for an intervention in the services provided for children with spina bifida and to fast-track children for surgical review as a matter of urgency.

Ms Hennessy, whose 13-year-old son was considered an emergency case and was waiting a year and a half before having spinal fusion back in 2018, said the Spina Bifida Paediatric Advocacy Group is “cautiously optimistic about the funding”.

“We have some concern about the fact that they have announced an extra 107 procedures for children with spina bifida this year, yet the list continues to grow, and Children’s Health Ireland do not have a centralised database of children under the age of 18 living with spina bifida,” she said.

We don’t have any reassurances yet that the funding allocated will extend into the spina bifida services in Temple St and also we want to know that urology services will be prioritised and extra theatre capacity.

She said that if these measures go ahead as promised, it would be “a huge relief to know our kids will be seen in a timely manner which they deserve”. 

Ms Hennessy added: “Spina bifida is a very complex condition and there are numerous appointment check-ups required constantly for our children, such as urology, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, endocrinology, respiratory, the list goes on.

“These services are vital in keeping our children as healthy as they possibly can be. They need to get these check-ups and surgery when required and not have to wait years for the same and deteriorate while doing so.

“As you could see from the media coverage over the past few weeks, children with SB are suffering needlessly and have suffered for far too long. It is not acceptable and is absolutely cruel, both for the child and their families. 

"I am hoping this is a promise that will follow through and not empty words. The doctors and nurses are amazing in these hospitals and we are very lucky to have them, but they are only human. They need the funding and resources to be able to care for our children properly,” she said.

A motion was passed unanimously calling on Cork City Council to write to Mr Donnelly and fast-track the 82 children with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus requiring urgent orthopaedic intervention. The motion was proposed by councillors Eolan Ryng, Kenneth Collins, and Fiona Kerins.

Regarding the funding announced by the minister, Cllr Ryng said: “This welcome news will come as a relief to families and particularly the children themselves. Huge tribute must go to the families for their campaign and determination. It simply shouldn’t have come to this.

“Let’s hope that the children involved here will get the care they need and deserve urgently.”