Waiting lists: Mother’s fight for son’s ‘life-changing’ surgery

Óisín’s surgery was facilitated by Kingsbridge Private Hospital.

It told BBC News NI that it was willing to “create the surgical capacity and expertise” to carry out the procedure, which would help address the current waiting list.

But it said doing so would require engagement from the Health and Social Care trusts, particularly if it was to offer the surgery free at the point of delivery.

In a statement, the Department of Health said partnering with independent sector providers had been “a long-standing approach to mitigating the gaps between demand for elective care and existing Health and Social Care capacity” through its Waiting List Initiative.

But it warned that the initiative would be “severely impacted by the intensifying pressures on the health budget”.

It added: “The department would welcome the opportunity of engagement with independent providers in relation to proposals for this type of surgery.”

Dr Nethercott said this was the type of partnership should be considered, but he warned it could be a short-term solution.

He said fixing the health service should be the top priority.

“If we can ensure that those who are in most need are dealt with within the private sector, and not just those with the most wealth, then we could use that capacity in a sensible and pragmatic way,” he said.

“You have to be very mindful and careful of what’s the long-term objective and goal.

“Yes, we could clear a waiting list of 100 patients quite quickly, but how quickly might that waiting list reaccumulate if we haven’t fixed the problems within the NHS.”