HSE chief mandates shorter wait times for children in need of aids and appliances funding

The HSE has authorized that no child should wait more than three weeks for funding approval for aids and appliances.

Aids are issued to children with clinical needs for devices supporting their day-to-day lives.

CEO Bernard Gloster outlined the new approach in a memo, saying that children will not wait “more than a maximum of three weeks for approval of funding for appliances from the date the relevant office receives the prescription/request from the attending Therapist or Team”.

“The only delay children should experience is manufacturer timeline from order to delivery and for bespoke items,” Gloster stated.

He added that child appliance list should be “merged with or influenced by” adult lists.

Aids help and improve the lives of children by assisting them with everyday tasks. They include computers, handling devices, hoists, walking sticks and communication cards.

All in all, there are thousands of individual products catering to each patients specific needs.  Access can sometimes be affected by supply and demand.