4 days ago
Health committee to hear CHI apology over practices
Executives and senior clinicians from Children's Health Ireland are appearing before the Health Committee this morning to update politicians on spinal surgeries, the recent hip surgery review and other governance issues at CHI.
Chief Executive Lucy Nugent will apologise to the children and families impacted by recent revelations about CHI's culture, governance and practices, which she says have "led to great pain being inflicted upon some of those who were in our care".
Ms Nugent is in her current post five months, having started her career as a nurse in CHI Temple Street.
In recent months, members of the opposition have detailed what they called "unnecessary" hip surgeries from an unpublished report into practices at three CHI hospitals.
The review into Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip, or DDH, found that the majority of children who had pelvic osteotomy surgery at CHI Temple Street and the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Cappagh did not meet the threshold for surgery based on the criteria used for the audit.
Children who had surgery at Crumlin were found to have met the threshold.
Ms Nugent will tell the committee that the family of one child they identified who experienced complications due to surgery has been contacted and supported through an open disclosure process.
She will also say that all families have now been contacted about the next steps, and if their child was part of the audit.
Multidisciplinary team review clinics have begun seeing patients, with 60 seen so far.
CHI has said the aim of the review clinics is to assess complications only, and it hopes to have all children seen within six months.
Ms Nugent will say she does "not underestimate the stress and anxiety that families are rightfully feeling throughout this audit process."
"To one family in particular, whose child experienced complications during their care in Children's Health Ireland, I extend my heartfelt apology. I would like to give my assurance to all of the families affected, that they will be directly supported and are being contacted with follow up information and the next steps."
Separately, the HSE is currently developing an independent review into hip surgeries going back to 2010, to determine if harm has occurred for any child, as the original audit does not establish this.
Going forward, any child who is listed for hip surgery with CHI will have their case discussed at multidisciplinary team meetings.
On the recent report into culture and governance issues at CHI and the use of the National Treatment Purchase Fund, Ms Nugent will apologise for not being at liberty to publish the report, saying it is her legal duty not to do so, despite media reports.
Executives at CHI will also update the committee on progress in paediatric spinal surgery services.
At the start of June, 48 patients were waiting over four months for surgery, a decrease since the start of the year.
CHI will also say that 223 spinal procedures have been completed in the year to date, up on 196 such operations at the same point last year.
An additional Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon is due to start in August, with recruitment under way for a further three consultant orthopaedic surgeons.
