Spinal Surgery Updates

📢 Progress update from the Spinal Surgery Management Unit (Q1 2025)

📋 CHI Spinal Surgery Waiting List & Activity Report – March 2025

• 123 surgeries completed (Jan – 26th Mar).
• 144 new spinal procedures added to the waiting list (Jan – 26th Mar).
• 137 patients actively waiting. These patients are ready for surgery and waiting for a scheduled date for admission in the future.
• 228 total patients on the waiting list (137 active + 20 pre-admit + 31 planned + 40 suspended = 228)
• Full report below

📅 Average waiting time for spinal surgery (2024)

• Non-complex patients: 4 months average wait time
• Complex patients: update in progress.

Complex cases require multi-disciplinary team approval and detailed planning, which contributes to longer wait times. CHI is currently validating complex case waiting time data.

🔬 CHI at Crumlin Surgical Site Surveillance: infection rates (reported April 2025)

• All spinal surgery patients: 3.9%
• High-risk spinal surgery patients (spend longer hospital / comorbidities): 5.6%
• Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: 0%

📑 Publication of HIQA report

• CHI Press Release
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Spinal service improvements
• Dr Ike Okafor interview on RTE News (external link)

ℹ️ Scoliosis Information Hub

🎬 Kayleigh's halo walker pilot

🗂️ Paediatric Spinal Surgery Taskforce minutes on gov.ie (external link)

For spinal service patients and families only.

• Children's Health Ireland acknowledges the publication of HIQA report
• Children's Health Ireland launches new Scoliosis Information Hub for patients and families
• November: Progress update from CHI’s Spinal Surgery Management Unit
• Children's Health Ireland welcomes the publication and findings of Health Service Executive review on the implementation of Scoliosis and Spina Bifida Action Plans 2022 and 2023
• GPs encouraged to use digital forms and X-ray pathways when referring children with suspected scoliosis to Children's Health Ireland
• Progress update from CHI’s Spinal Surgery Management Unit
• Children's Health Ireland to receive new, purpose-built Halo Traction wheelchairs for young scoliosis patients
• Spinal Surgeries Abroad

Attention all GPs:

• Digital scoliosis GP referrals: Send your scoliosis referrals through Healthlink (using the "spinal" drop-down menu for CHI at Crumlin referrals)
• Resource Pack: This pack contains information on the advised approach to take when you suspect scoliosis in a paediatric patient (under 16)
• Minimum Data Set requirements: It is important that all spinal referrals that we receive from GPs contain specific datasets, find more information here.
• Ordering spinal X-ray: In cases of suspected scoliosis, having an X-ray accompany your GP referral letter significantly improves the triage process. See the GP resource pack above for more information.