Taoiseach Micheál Martin has rejected calls for the board of Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) to stand down in the wake of a report on the use of unauthorised springs in three children’s surgeries for scoliosis.
Responding to questions in the Dáil on Wednesday, the Taoiseach said removing the board “would weaken governance even further and could lead to further difficulties and challenges”.
He again ruled out a public inquiry and said the focus has to be on transferring services to the new national children’s hospital.
The Labour Party has called for the resignation of the entire CHI board, as the controversy gathers pace following the publication of the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) report into orthopaedic surgeries.
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This marks an escalation from the party, which has reversed its position from Tuesday, when it said that the board should remain in place to steer through necessary reforms at CHI.
Hiqa on Tuesday published a damning report about the governance and oversight of CHI, the body which oversees paediatric healthcare in the State.
The report found the use of unauthorised springs as surgical implants in operations on three children at Temple Street hospital, Dublin, was “wrong”, while failures in controls meant “children were not protected from the risk of harm”.
The mother of a child with scoliosis has called for a public inquiry into the use of the springs in spinal surgeries at Temple Street Hospital.
Claire Cahill, the co-founder of the Scoliosis Advocacy Network, said there should be an inquiry into CHI and its handling of children with scoliosis.
Ms Cahill, told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that the Hiqa report is “damning”.
“I think it’s just one report after many reports. I believe it should be the beginning and I, as a mother, I would like to see a public inquiry. As an advocate, I would like it to be a full public inquiry into CHI and how they have treated and handled children who live with scoliosis.”
Ms Cahill said parents are in a tricky position because children need surgery but have to “fight for that surgery”. In her 15-year-old son Darragh’s case, Ms Cahill was told his surgery would happen before Easter, but last week was told there is no date.
[ Spinal surgeries report: The story behind the springs used on childrenOpens in new window ]
“There is no time frame. That is the reality. On the one hand, you are pushing for a surgery and on the other hand, you are actually quite nervous, because you start to question everything you know.”
Labour’s health spokeswoman Marie Sherlock said on Wednesday the system failed to protect children and “the buck must stop with the board”.
“Given the seriousness of the systemic failure within CHI to properly protect children in their care and the enormity of the scandal regarding hip operations which we do not have full detail on, I am not confident the existing board can make the necessary changes in an urgent and comprehensive manner,” Ms Sherlock said.
“The reality is that five CHI board members have served since 2018, one since 2020 – only one was a clinician. This does not seem appropriate to me given the serious level of oversight that should have been expected of the board."
Meanwhile, the Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon said children with scoliosis are “being denied their right to the highest attainable standard of health”.
Dr Muldoon said the report was “another distressing turn” in the crisis around access to scoiosis surgery.
“Ultimately, children in Ireland are being failed, and while CHI scramble to deal with this latest crisis, there are still more than 200 children waiting for surgeries, whose conditions are getting worse. We need to consider the impact this is having on them and how this can be communicated with them in an appropriate way,” he said.
Dr Muldoon said it is “absolutely essential” that all steps are taken now to restore confidence in the system for children and families before the transition to the new National Children’s Hospital.
“The new hospital, which is so desperately needed for children, cannot inherit a structure that is continuing to let down children,” he said.
