Apology not enough, CHI 'must take responsibility' for child-surgery scandal

The controversy over children who had surgery for developmental dysplasia for the hip could be one of the 'biggest medical malpractices in the history of the State', a Government TD has said.
Fine Gael's Brian Brennan, who declined hip dysplasia surgery for his young son, said that Children's Health Ireland (CHI) 'has to take responsibility' and must be held accountable.
Senator Tom Clonan also said that if he had known the scale of the problems in the group, he would not have given permission for his disabled son to be operated on. Executive and senior clinicians from CHI appeared before the Oireachtas Committee on Health yesterday to provide an update on problems that have emerged in recent months. Senator Tom Clonan. Pic: Fran Veale
A review into the unauthorised use of springs in children with scoliosis and an audit on the threshold for hip surgery was recently published. The clinical audit of surgeries for dysplasia of the hips in children found that a lower threshold for operations was used at CHI Temple Street hospital and the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh (NOHC) than the threshold used at CHI Crumlin.
The review discovered that, in the period 2021 to 2023, almost 80% of children operated on at the NOHC, and 60% of those at Temple Street, did not meet the threshold for surgery. Lucy Nugent, the chief executive of CHI, apologised to children and families affected by practices and governance issues at CHI.
Ms Nugent, who joined as chief five months ago, said she was sorry on behalf of the management and 'on behalf of the entire organisation'. Dr Martin Daly, a Fianna Fáil TD and health spokesman for the party, said there is 'zero confidence' in the board of CHI. Dr Daly, who has been a doctor for 40 years, said the 'sense of gravity' of what happened to the children was not reflected in Ms Nugent's statement to the committee. Lucy Nugent, the chief executive of CHI. Pic: Tom Honan
He added that what happened to the children was 'scandalous'. Dr Daly said: 'There's no other way to put it, and I don't think you imparted the sense of realisation of the anger. There is a whole generation of children who have been operated on who shouldn't have been operated on, on spurious evidence, without proper audit and without proper governance.'
Mr Brennan, a TD for Wicklow-Wexford, attended the committee yesterday and sat with parents of children affected by the scandal for the first part of the hearing. He said he was there as a TD and as a parent. He told the committee he met with the consultant under investigation for the implanting of unapproved springs, who told him his son needed surgery.
'I went to Cappagh [hospital] with my young child with a previously underlying health condition and we sat in front of the surgeon that is on leave,' he said. 'We were told that we should seriously consider surgery. I asked for the pros and cons like any other parent would. We left. We drove back to Wexford. It was hardly a word said between myself and my wife in the car. Fine Gael TD Brian Brennan. Pic: Tom Honan
'As we drove into our house, I turned to my wife and said, 'we can't proceed'. My young son had gone through enough. 'So it's with the grace of God I'm not sitting there. It is absolutely horrific. I'm strong. People say, do you think about it every day? I don't. What I do think about every day is the parents. My God. How did this happen? I'm of the very, very firm opinion that justice must take its course. But in my opinion, if this plays out the way I think it may play out, this could be one of the biggest medical malpractices in the history of the State.
'With all due respect… let's call this out as it is. The people sitting in front of me now were in the driving seat when this was going on. It was under your watch. Those are the facts.'
Describing himself as 'lucky', he said his son, who is seven, is out running 'nearly half marathons'. 'Thank God he's in that position. But every day I think of these parents,' he remarked. Dr Daly said it happened under the watch of Eilish Hardiman, former chief executive of CHI, who was at the committee hearing. Ms Hardiman is now CHI's strategic programme director. Eilish Hardiman, former chief executive of CHI. Pic: Tom Honan
'Ms Hardiman, you were there. It looks like under your regime, you were rewarded for substandard management of the hospital, and I am saying that strongly, because all of this happened under your watch.
'I have to say there is absolutely zero confidence in the CHI board, zero confidence in the management, notwithstanding the changes you've outlined, Ms Nugent, but there is zero confidence.' Becoming emotional, Ms Nugent said it keeps her awake at night. 'If I in any way did not convey the gravity of the situation, I apologise. It keeps me awake,' she added.

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