Spinal surgeries amounted to 'unauthorised experimentation', say children's families 

CHI at Temple Street, where the spinal surgeries took place. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Children having spinal surgery were not protected from harm when unapproved metal springs were implanted into their bodies at Temple Street hospital, a shocking new report from the country's health watchdog has revealed.

The spinal procedures amounted to "unauthorised experimentation" on three children, the families have said, while the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has condemned the failure of procedures and governance at Children's Health Ireland (CHI), which runs Temple Street.

The unauthorised spring devices disintegrated inside the children, which meant further surgical intervention was needed.

The Hiqa review said the use of these devices for scoliosis patients was wrong and there was no evidence of ethical approval for their use.

CHI board chairman Dr Jim Browne resigned in the wake of the scathing report yesterday, and apologised to the “children, young people, and families that have been failed by the care they received".

There are now questions over CHI's ability to manage the transition to the new National Children's Hospital while it deals with the fallout from the Hiqa report.

Hiqa also revealed an “onerous and unrealistic” workload facing managers in all hospitals under CHI.

A senior Hiqa inspector has said it is “absolutely critical” that holes in procedures are fixed before the move to the new children’s hospital next year.

Solicitor Ciarán Tansey, of Damien Tansey Solicitors, Sligo and Dublin, who represents some of the children impacted, said the findings of the report are "horrible" for the families to digest.

“It is shocking that risk-taking at this level was permitted within CHI to facilitate these springs being used in children,” he said.

One has to query if similar troubling practices are happening more widely. Where and when will these HSE scandals end?

Advocates representing children with spina bifida and scoliosis have called for a broader public inquiry following the Hiqa review, which identified gaps in checks and balances around how devices are ordered and evaluated across CHI.

Hiqa director of healthcare regulation Sean Egan said these gaps in governance must be addressed before the new National Children's Hospital is operational.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it is "beyond comprehension" that unauthorised springs were used in surgeries but Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said Mr Martin must "take account" for the Government's failure to act on the issue.

In response, Mr Martin said there is a "limit" to what politicians can do in terms of how people conduct procedures in operating theatres.

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill declined to say whether she has confidence in the board of CHI and instead said she needs to "reflect on the board and reflect on the next chairperson and the steps that are taken".

Labour TD Marie Sherlock said ahead of the move to the new Children's Hospital, answers must be given as to whether "CHI is now capable of managing both the transition to the new hospital building in spring of next year, while also implementing those very wide-ranging set of recommendations that Hiqa has issued."