Over 2,400 children waiting for healthcare in Carlow and Kilkenny, says local TD
'Parents shouldn’t have to fight so hard for them'
Local TD Bobby Aylward has said it shocking that 2,436 children and adolescents are having to wait for primary healthcare services across Carlow and Kilkenny.
The Fianna Fail TD says that over 500 of these have been waiting for over one year.
Deputy Aylward was commenting as information compiled by Fianna Fáil paints a shocking picture of 90,000 children waiting for primary care across the country. A further 117,000 children are waiting for hospital treatment.
“When we talk about primary care we’re talking about treatment that should be readily available, in a timely manner, in our communities," he said.
“Psychology, audiology, ophthalmology, dietetics, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy should be available and accessible to children. Their parents shouldn’t have to fight so hard for them.
“Without a doubt, the waiting lists for initial speech and language therapy are the largest. 559 children are on the waiting list, 226 of them have been on the list for over a year.
“We know that early intervention is key, research has shown that when children receive delayed interventions, it negatively affects their quality of life, and increases their risk of not making progress or a full recovery in some circumstances. The children of Carlow and Kilkenny deserve better."