Spinal surgery plans beyond September still to be confirmed as 46 await operations

Plans for visiting spinal surgeons to come to Jersey beyond next month have yet to be confirmed, as new figures reveal that 46 patients are currently waiting for operations.

The Health Department said arrangements for specialist visits from October to December were due to be reviewed in August, but the programme currently agreed only runs until the end of September.

A further 159 patients are waiting for an outpatient spinal appointment.

Visiting surgeons were scheduled to come to the Island from 17 to 20 July, 14 to 16 August, and 25 to 27 September.

The July programme included one day of surgery, during which four operations were due to be carried out, and three days of outpatient clinics for around 61 patients. Health said the August and September visits were expected to follow a similar model.

The details were revealed in response to a request made under the Freedom of Information Law about spinal surgery waiting times and the availability of visiting specialists.

Health said visiting surgeons were not subject to a fixed cap on activity, although the frequency and duration of the service were determined partly by the budget available, as well as specialist availability and patient demand.

Figures covering public patients who underwent spinal surgery during the two years to 30 June show a median wait of two weeks for urgent cases, 16 weeks for patients classed as “soon” and 14 weeks for routine cases. Median means half of patients waited less than the stated period and half waited longer.

Health said spinal pathways were “highly individualised”, with patients prioritised according to the severity of their symptoms, clinical need and their response to treatments such as physiotherapy, pain management and spinal injections.

Patients are not routinely sent to the UK because of long waiting times. Only children and those requiring emergency or trauma spinal care are transferred to Southampton.

Health said patients whose symptoms deteriorated while waiting should contact their GP, who can ask for their appointment to be expedited if clinically necessary.