Children's spinal surgery waiting list falls below 200

Children's Health Ireland (CHI) reported a significant drop in the number of children and young people waiting for spinal surgery, with the list falling below 200 patients for the first time. As of the latest figures, only 199 patients are currently on the waiting list, compared to 231 patients at the same time last year. This improvement follows a total of 229 procedures added to the surgical waiting list since January 2026, alongside 279 spinal surgeries performed during the same period.

While seven patients are waiting between 12-15 months for their surgery, and two are awaiting between 18-24 months, one patient is on a wait between 24-36 months. At the end of July, the outpatient department waiting list comprised 431 patients, a notable decrease of over 22.6% compared to 557 patients at the same point in the previous year.

CHI's Chief Executive, Lucy Nugent, highlighted the progress made in reducing waiting times, emphasizing the organization's commitment to ensuring children receive timely care. The target of 540 procedures by the end of the year remains a priority, with the overarching goal of continuously decreasing waiting times for patients. Dave Moore, head of CHI's Spinal Surgery Management Unit, explained that all patients undergo a prioritization process based on their diagnosis, the severity of their spinal deformity, the presence of other conditions, and additional factors.

Since the start of the year, CHI has seen more spinal surgeries conducted than new procedures added to the waiting list. The organization also revealed that there were 648 cancelled spinal surgeries over the past five years, suggesting a growing efficiency in their procedures.