Republic of Ireland: Number on children’s spinal surgery waiting list falls below 200, figures show

The number of children waiting for spinal surgery reduced to 199 patients last month, according to figures from Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).

At the end of July last year, 231 children were waiting for spinal surgery. The average wait time for an outpatient department (OPD) appointment is 3.9 months, down from 7.4 months at the same time in 2025.

Some 104 patients are on the active spinal surgery waiting list, meaning they are completing preoperative assessments and will be scheduled for an admission date in the future.

Seven patients have been waiting between 12 and 15 months for their procedure, two have been waiting for 18 to 24 months, and one child has been waiting between 24 and 36 months.

Since January, 229 procedures have been added to the surgical waiting list, while 279 spinal surgeries have been carried out during the same time frame.

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Source: The Irish Times, 14 August 2026