A Memo on Child Spinal Care Inquiry Before Cabinet
A memo on a public inquiry into child spinal care is set to be presented to the Cabinet, with a focus on the care provided to children with scoliosis and spina bifida. This development comes after a significant meeting between Tánaiste Simon Harris, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, and the parents of Harvey Morrison, along with relevant advocacy groups.
Harvey, a nine-year-old from Clondalkin, Dublin, passed away in July, suffering from spina bifida and scoliosis. His death highlights the long wait for spinal surgery, as he was first placed on the waiting list in February 2022. This case has sparked a call for a comprehensive inquiry into the care provided to children with similar conditions.
Minister Carroll MacNeill is expected to inform her colleagues that a substantial amount of work is required to establish the inquiry, and a facilitator should be appointed to define the scope of potential terms of reference, in collaboration with stakeholders. This includes ensuring the compellability of persons and documents, as emphasized by Úna Keightley, co-lead of the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group.
Keightley, speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, stressed the need for a full public tribunal inquiry to address all questions. She noted that without a tribunal, the scope may be limited, and certain parts of the publications could be redacted. Additionally, the control of the tribunal must be independent of government to ensure the child's voice is heard.
The inquiry aims to investigate the overall care provided to children with scoliosis and spina bifida, including the deaths of these children, to determine if they were linked to delayed care, post-operative complications, or infections. This comes after a newspaper reported claims that Harvey was removed from a surgery waiting list due to Children's Health Ireland's (CHI) belief that he was a palliative patient, a matter currently under investigation by a whistleblower within CHI.
