Child’s wait for surgery had ‘devastating consequences’

Children’s Health Ireland 'failed to adequately communicate with Ivy and her father between 2016 and 2020 with regard to her medical care planning and pathway'. File picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

A 17-year-old girl with cerebral palsy saw her spine deteriorate from an angle of over 30 degrees to an angle of 135 degrees as she waited five years for life-changing spinal fusion surgery, a report from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) has found.

The girl, referred to as ‘Ivy’ in the investigation, suffered devastating physical and emotional consequences as she awaited the procedure.

She and her family told investigators that she had been unable to meet friends, go to school or even breathe at times as the curvature of her spine worsened.

In its report, the OCO found that Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Dublin’s Temple Street “failed to adequately communicate with Ivy and her father between 2016 and 2020 with regard to her medical care planning and pathway”.

“Our investigation found a number of administrative failures in how Ivy’s case was dealt with by CHI,” said OCO’s director of investigations, Nuala Ward.

“A key issue we raised is that professionals must pay attention to parents, children, and indeed, GPs when they contact a hospital to say a child’s condition is deteriorating,” she said.

“Ivy’s story shows the devastating consequences that waiting for this life-changing surgery can have on a child.”

OCO’s director of investigations Nuala Ward said: '[I]t was clear that the whole family had suffered significant distress and anguish.' File picture: PA

Ms Ward said that when Ivy and her family contacted the OCO, after raising concerns a number of times with their GP, consultant, and CHI, “it was clear that the whole family had suffered significant distress and anguish at Ivy’s deteriorating condition in the five years she had to wait for surgery”.

However, Ms Ward said the OCO's investigation was not solely about Ivy.

“We are publishing this case on behalf of the 309 children and their families who, as of May 2023, were waiting for scoliosis treatment in Ireland.”

Ms Ward said that a 2017 government waiting list initiative that sought to see no child in Ireland waiting longer than four months for their scoliosis surgery had been “repeatedly broken with devastating consequences”.

“We must never forget, that these children are in significant pain and distress while they wait, their life suspended, their childhood passing them by,” she said.

“They need to believe that the Government cares and will make right their promise to them.”