Health Review Reveals Delays in Children's Health Ireland Services

A recent internal audit carried out by the Health Service Executive (HSE) has highlighted persistent delays in several paediatric specialties at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI). The review examined governance and equity in patient access and waiting‑list management, focusing on orthopaedics, urology and respiratory medicine. It found that excess demand, limited capacity and staffing constraints are driving the backlogs, but it did not uncover any inequity between public and private patients.

The audit also reported that CHI is failing to meet its own waiting‑time targets for urgent referrals. According to the HSE’s narrative review, as of October 2025, 73 % of children on outpatient waiting lists with urgent referrals had not received an appointment within the clinically recommended period of less than 28 days. For inpatient urgent referrals, 67 % were still awaiting care beyond that same threshold.

When it comes to semi‑urgent cases, the figures are similarly concerning: 64 % of children on outpatient waiting lists and 60 % on inpatient lists had not been seen within the target window of less than 13 weeks. These statistics cover all clinical prioritisation categories across the group’s specialties.

The review was commissioned after allegations that waiting‑list mismanagement and misuse of public funds might have compromised care delivery. While the audit confirms significant delays, it also notes that no disparity exists between patients receiving care through public or private channels.

These findings suggest that CHI is “falling short” of its ambition to provide best‑in‑class care for children and young people across Ireland, including those in County National. For more details, see the Irish Times report and RTÉ Radio 1 coverage.

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