Kilkenny mother: Children in pain are being 'forgotten', left on surgery waiting list for years

A national network, which is based in Kilkenny, has hit out at a system it states is ‘failing children’.

The Scoliosis Advocacy Network has called for a taskforce to be established that would have the power to oversee and direct Children’s Health Ireland.

Around 327 children are on waiting lists for scoliosis surgery with CHI, according to the latest figures. Claire Cahill, one of the founders of the Scoliosis Advocacy Network, who was awarded Kilkenny Person of the Year in 2017 for her advocacy work, has called for action to ensure children’s rights are recognised.

“The Taoiseach said our children aren’t being forgotten but our children have been forgotten for over a decade at this point,” said Ms Cahill.

Forgotten
“Children have been on waiting lists for years, waiting for life-changing and essential surgeries for years and years.

“That’s the reality - these children feel forgotten about, parents feel forgotten about, families feel forgotten about.

“The children that have reduced mobility or reduced lung capacity because of delays in getting surgery are not able to go out and enjoy St Patrick’s Day.”

Taskforce
Ms Cahill revealed that the Scoliosis Advocacy Network is not in favour of the taskforce currently being put together by the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.

“We met with the Taoiseach in September, 2023 and we asked him at that time to establish a taskforce that would have the power to direct CHI,” she explained.

“It’s important that any such taskforce has more teeth as such, and that it would actually benefit our children. Nothing has happened since and we’re six months down the line.

“The taskforce that the Taoiseach said is being set up now is basically a rehash of the Scoliosis Co-design Board that we sat on for many years, and we have experience that this did not work. The reason it didn’t work was because it had no power to direct CHI.

“Myself and others on the board would have pointed out many patient-safety issues and recommendations for improvement, from very basic things to the more intricate issues, and they were never addressed or implemented. Our fear is that this will happen once again - it’s basically rehashing the same thing over and over again, and is just a talk-shop.”