Around 50 new child patients listed for spinal surgery each month – report

By Cate McCurry, PA

Approximately 50 new child patients are being listed for spinal surgery procedures each month, according to the latest Spinal Surgery Waiting List released by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).

The activity report for March shows that 123 spinal surgeries were completed between January and March 26th this year.

The report, released on Friday, shows that 144 new spinal procedures have been added to the waiting list in the same timeframe following an assessment.

It leaves the total number of children awaiting spinal surgery at 228.

A spokeswoman for CHI said that as well as carrying out surgeries, all spinal consultants meet and evaluate new patients every week in outpatient clinics.

She said that approximately 50 of the new patients are listed for a spinal surgery procedure every month, while others will have non-surgical treatment pathways, such as monitoring of their condition or spinal brace/cast.

Of the 228 children waiting for surgery, 137 are ready for surgery and awaiting a date.

A further 31 children on the waiting list have a planned procedure, while a further 20 children have been assigned a date for their surgery.

The remaining 40 children have been classed as ‘suspended’. Nine were suspended for clinical reasons, five for personal reasons, and 26 were confirmed to have their surgery in another hospital.

The average wait time for non-complex patients is four months, the CHI said in its report.

David Moore, head of the Spinal Surgery Management Unit, said: “Throughout the first three months of 2025, 123 surgeries have been carried out in Children’s Health Ireland and through our associated initiatives.

“In the same timeframe, 144 additional spinal procedures have been added to the waiting list following outpatient assessment.

“We aim to have a new consultant spinal surgeon in post in the summer, who will further bolster our efforts to reduce the waiting list for spinal surgery and the length of time that patients are waiting.

“We look forward to welcoming new to the team, and recruitment is currently underway for a clinical nurse specialist, an advanced nurse practitioner in tissue viability and an occupational therapy specialist.

“We acknowledge the publication of the HIQA (Health Information and Quality Authority) report this week, and do not underestimate the impact that this has on the families affected.

“The Spinal Surgery Management Unit will continue to develop and implement important quality measures and patient education resources.”