Fracture clinic delays at Temple Street highlighted last year

The executive committee at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street discussed whether to add waiting times for its fracture clinic to the hospital’s risk register last year, the Medical Independent (MI) can report.

The issue was discussed by the hospital’s executive committee in October and minutes of the meeting have been seen by MI following a Freedom of Information request.

The committee discussed the turnaround of sometimes two weeks for appointments in the hospital’s fracture clinic, and whether to add this situation to the hospital’s risk register.  

“Children who attend the emergency department who are diagnosed with a fracture are treated initially in the emergency department,” a hospital spokesperson told MI. 

“They are then referred to the fracture clinic and are generally seen within four-to-five days. 

“Due to staffing issues in the orthopaedic department for a period of time [last year], the waiting time was approximately 10 days.” However, the spokesperson added that the challenges in the orthopaedic department have since improved following the appointment of new staff. 

“The hospital has since recruited an orthopaedic registrar for the fracture clinics and the waiting times are now back within acceptable practice,” added the spokesperson. 

“Therefore, this issue was not deemed to be entered on the hospital’s risk register.”