Over 42,000 Children Face Yearlong Waits for Healthcare Services

More than 42,000 children in Ireland are currently waiting over a year for essential healthcare services within their communities, according to new data from the Health Service Executive (HSE). These figures have raised significant concerns about the ability of the state to provide adequate healthcare, especially for vulnerable children.

By the end of June 2023, a total of 287,787 individuals were on waiting lists for various community healthcare services, a notable increase of approximately 10 percent compared to the previous year, when around 260,000 people were waiting. This surge highlights ongoing challenges in accessing timely healthcare, which aims to reduce reliance on acute hospital systems.

The waiting lists encompass eight critical disciplines: audiology, dietetics, occupational therapy, ophthalmology, physiotherapy, podiatry, psychotherapy, and speech and language therapy. Of those waiting, 75,234 have been on the lists for over a year, with children making up a significant portion of this number. Specifically, 42,376 children are among those enduring long delays.

Impact on Child Healthcare Services

The analysis, provided to Pádraig Rice TD, the health spokesman for the Social Democrats, reveals alarming statistics, particularly in child psychology. More than 14,000 children are waiting over a year for psychological services, highlighting a critical gap in mental health support for young people. This figure is in addition to 4,424 children waiting for access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, and 10,961 children on the waiting list for child disability network teams.

Rice emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “These are utterly unacceptable figures and yet, somehow, they have become the norm. This cannot be tolerated any longer.” He called on Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to take decisive action to enhance capacity in primary and community care services.

Concerns from Healthcare Advocates

Stephen McMahon, co-founder of the Irish Patients Association, described the long waiting lists for children as “shocking and unacceptable.” He pointed to the detrimental effects of delayed care, stating, “Kids benefit greatly from timely healthcare, and if it is delayed this will impact their development.”

The focus of community healthcare is to prevent individuals from entering the more costly acute care system, but the current situation indicates a systemic failure that could lead to higher long-term costs for the healthcare system.

A spokesperson for the HSE acknowledged the challenge, stating that their primary care services cater to more than 3.2 million attendances annually across various settings, including therapy, diagnostics, general practice, and home care. Last year, nearly 1.4 million therapy service users received care.

“While we recognize the need to address waiting lists, we are committed to developing community service provision in line with the Sláintecare reform plan,” the spokesperson noted. They also reported a 7 percent increase in referrals for therapy services in 2023, with a stabilization of trends occurring this year.

The complexities of children’s services often require more intensive care and longer waiting times compared to adult services. The HSE emphasized that when children transition from specialist disability services to primary care, waiting times are calculated from the initial referral date, complicating the overall waiting list situation.

As the debate over healthcare reform continues, the urgent need for improved access to timely services for children remains a significant concern among healthcare advocates and policymakers alike.