Families take campaign to Stormont over feeding tube surgery delays

Dozens of families of children with complex needs who are on waiting lists to get surgery to replace feeding tubes have signed a petition to address the backlog which they say they've been told could take five years.

They gathered at the Department of Health on Friday morning demanding urgent action to insert what are known as PEG tubes to alleviate their children's suffering.

Feeding tubes designed to be a temporary measure, becoming permanent for these little ones with complex needs and causing distressing side effects.

The campaign is being spearheaded by Michelle McCready whose son is now six. The insertion of a peg tube directly into Alfie's stomach would make a massive difference.

More than ninety children are understood to be on the waiting list which they've been told could take five years to clear.

The Department of Health says this is an important issue and it's looking at a number of potential solutions to a complex surgical procedure.

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