7,000 child fracture appointments

SURGEONS in the Western Trust saw or treated children with fractures, breaks or trauma on over 7000 occasions as either outpatients or inpatients over the past three years.

Health Minister Edwin Poots advised 6,989 child outpatients and 378 child inpatients were seen between 2008/9 and 2010/11 giving a total of 7,367.

The Minister was responding to an Assembly Question by SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey.

Mr Ramsey asked the health minister how many children with chronic orthopaedic problems were seen by a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon in the Western Health and Social Care Trust area in each of the last three years.

The Minister advised the number of outpatient and inpatient attendances will not equate to the number of individuals attending an outpatient appointment or inpatient admission during the period as individuals may attend or be admitted more than once.