By Gareth Cross

A Derry mother has expressed her anger after her daughter has been left waiting over a year and a half for an operation.

Patricia Kelly says that her seven-year-old daughter Hannah urgently needs her tonsils removed.

She told the Derry News that the condition has gotten so bad that Hannah stops breathing in her sleep.

Speaking on Friday, Mrs Kelly said that the family were told in March that the operation was now urgent but it has still not taken place.

Mrs Kelly added that she contacted Altnagelvin Hospital last week for an update only to be told that the operation may not take place until the end of August due to a lack of bed and finances caused by the collapse of Stormont.

Mrs Kelly said that she was angry that the political situation in Northern Ireland was affecting her daughter’s health, and also spoke about how the condition affects her daughter.

"The DUP and Sinn Fein need to get their act together, this is in their hands and my daughter's health should not be affected," she said.

"Hannah wakes up in the night choking and it really upsets her.

"She sleeps in with me now because I have to keep an eye on her, I'm too afraid to leave her on her own.

"I have sleep apnea (a common disorder in which people have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while they sleep) myself so I know what she's going through when she wakes up unable to breathe."

Mrs Kelly said that the date for the operation had been continually moved.

"About a year and a half ago we went on the waiting list and in March we were told it would be three weeks and now it could be August'.

"A lot of operations have apparently been cancelled due to the same issues and I'm angry with our politicians, they are affecting people's lives.”

The Derry News contacted the Western Health and Social Care T rust (Western Trust) on Friday for a response but it did not reply to our request.

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