Follow-up checks for children who had hip surgery through Children’s Health Ireland

The audit covers Children's Health Ireland and the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh. 

Children who had hip surgery through Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) are being offered new follow-up checks after a still-under way audit recommended it.

The audit is examining criteria for carrying out a specific type of hip surgery in young children. 

It covers CHI and the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh (NOHC). 

It is separate to a review of spinal surgery at CHI.

This follows concern among families after a document described as a draft report was published in the media. 

This included reference to surgeries not meeting criteria.

The letters tell parents the audit is not yet complete but “an early recommendation” indicates follow-up checks are needed. 

Parents are advised they will be contacted with appointments if necessary, but this “is not urgent”.

The letters, seen by the Irish Examiner, also say CHI cannot comment on media reports on what the final audit will report.

Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane said this has already caused “understandable alarm” for parents.

This “as published online raises very serious concerns in relation to the necessity of some dysplasia surgeries carried out on children at a number of CHI hospitals,” he said.

Sinn Fein's health spokesperson David Cullinane said 'understandable alarm' for parents has been caused.

He added: “I challenged the minister in the Dáil to act quickly and at the very least to ensure that all parents of children who had procedures carried out were contacted and that all appropriate follow up care provided.” 

He welcomed the contact with parents, but said: “It does beg the question why it took so long. The final report needs to be completed and published as soon as is possible."

The letters appear to have been sent widely including to some parents in the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland Paediatric Advocacy Group.

Co-founder Úna Keightley said: “How can you make an informed decision on surgery for your child when you don’t know the background or have any information about what is happening in the hospital?"

Parents are already worried because of other reviews at CHI, she pointed out.

“I appreciate CHI can’t comment until this is all finalised, but they could give us some kind of reassurance,” she urged.

Una Keightley co-founder of the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland Paediatric Advocacy Group. Picture: Gareth Chaney

The draft document, published previously on website The Ditch, indicated 561 children who had these operations in CHI and the NOHC need follow-ups. It covers 2021 to 2023.

It said: “These families should all be recalled and informed that this is a matter of routine good practice.” 

A CHI spokeswoman said a joint clinical audit was confirmed in July. There was “a concern”, she said sites were using different criteria.

“The audit is not yet complete, and so we cannot provide any details of its findings, and we cannot comment on any media reports in relation to the audit, as to do so would undermine the integrity of the audit process,” she said on Wednesday.

CHI will “share findings of the audit once completed”, she said adding they are corresponding with families.

The condition — developmental dysplasia of the hip — is when the ball-and-socket joint does not form properly.