Parents and advocates call for scoliosis care inquiry to be made public 

Gillian Sherratt and Stephen Morrison during a march in Dublin last year. The scoping report came in response to the death of their son, Harvey Morrison Sherratt. 

Families could be left waiting years for answers from an inquiry into scoliosis and spina bifida care at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) and frustrated parents are demanding the hearings be held in public.

On Monday a commission of inquiry was recommended by barrister Remy Farrell SC following a long scoping exercise. The hearings would be in private with a report published. He said this is to help protect children’s privacy.

"Any statutory inquiry is inevitably going to take a number of years to conclude," he warned.

He said the “children concerned do not have the luxury of time” to wait for this to end, and said health reforms are the remit of the HSE, CHI, and the Department of Health.

Stephen Morrison, father of Harvey Morrison Sherratt who died after long delays in accessing surgery, said the approach proposed on Monday “desecrates” Harvey’s memory.

Parents of children affected by the hip dysplasia controversy also said: “Families have spent years being asked to trust the system.

“It is not unreasonable that they now ask to see the truth examined in the cold light of day, rather than behind closed doors."

Mr Farrell recommended the inquiry should examine care for scoliosis, spina bifida and hip dysplasia in four modules: 

• Waiting lists delays and communication with parents;
• Spinal surgery, including who in CHI knew about the plan to implant springs into some children;
• Hip dysplasia care in CHI at Temple Street and Cappagh hospitals;
• The treatment of the so-called Crumlin Orphans, who received what the report described as a "considerably lower degree of care" than children with similar conditions at Temple Street.

It should cover 2019 to 2025, although the examination of the Crumlin Orphans issue would extend to 2008. 

The Government accepted the recommendations in full.

The scoping report came in response to the death of Harvey Morrison Sherratt. 

However his parents warned the time limit means many issues in his care would not be considered. 

Gillian Sherratt said: “These children have not only been failed during this neat six year window and that timeline is absolutely indefensible.” 

They and other families in the Scoliosis Advocacy Network and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group called for a broader, public inquiry.

This was echoed by the Hip Dysplasia Advocacy Group. It welcomed inclusion of these children whose parents told Mr Farrell of being “manipulated” into surgery in some cases.

While the privacy and dignity of children must be protected at all times, public confidence will not be secured by reaching conclusions behind closed doors.

It also said these issues “did not suddenly begin on January 1, 2019.”

Labour health spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD called for changes to the proposed format to build trust among the families. 

She said: "These problems did not suddenly begin in 2019. Administrative convenience cannot determine whose experiences are heard.” 

She also warned: “I am deeply concerned that it could take years to establish the Commission.” 

Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said: “The difficult experiences of families are evident throughout the report, and their insights have informed its recommendations.” 

Children’s Health Ireland said it will help ensure “an efficient, fair and child-centred outcome” from the inquiry.

“CHI acknowledges the courage of the children, young people and families who have shared their experiences. Their voices must be heard, and where failings have been identified, they will be acknowledged, addressed and learned from,” a spokeswoman said.