Scoliosis Ireland founder calls for CHI board to step down over spinal surgery scandal

Temple Street children's hospital is at the centre of a scandal on the use of unapproved springs in spinal operations on children. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/ RollingNews.ie

Further calls have been made for resignations in the wake of a damning Hiqa report last week on spinal care at Children's Health Ireland (CHI), as concerns grow among families of children with scoliosis. 

Scoliosis Ireland was set up in 2010 and supports adults as well as children.

It was "heartbreaking" to read a report on use of unapproved springs and widespread organisational problems at CHI, Scoliosis Ireland founder Gary Farrell said.

He echoed calls from scoliosis and spina bifida advocates for more resignations in addition to the CHI board chairman Dr Jim Browne, who stepped down last week.

“We were calling for the board to step down in 2023. There were that many things going on in reports we were hearing back from parents, the lack of communication and other terrible things,” Mr Farrell said.

“We started calling for that about a year and a half ago, because we felt they were not managing the situation properly.” 

He said his concerns were growing even before public focus on use of the springs from autumn 2023 and he "didn’t have much faith".

His frustrations come from seeing previous reform pledges bring little change. He was part of the co-design action plan group in 2018 which saw advocates and CHI working together.

'Empty promises'

“Sometimes we call it the ‘no-action plan’,” he said. “There was very little done there, it was all empty promises.” 

He called for more focus on Government funding and recruitment to help their members be seen more quickly.

“We’re just being let down and let down. I know some of these families personally and it’s horrible to hear the horror stories behind it, it’s a difficult thing,” he said.

Mr Farrell has scoliosis, having been diagnosed at 14.

He should now be looking forward to the move to the under-construction children’s hospital for their younger members. However after reading what Hiqa found out, he said: “I’m extremely worried about the new hospital.” 

CHI has accepted the nine recommendations made by Hiqa. It said five were already complete by the time of publication and the others were “partially completed”. Chief executive Lucy Nugent has apologised to the children affected.

Meanwhile a separate audit of hip dysplasia surgeries at CHI continues.