Louth families affected by children's hip operation scandal have ‘been through hell'
The Sinn Féin TD raised the children's cases during a debate in the Dáil about the Independent External Medical Audit for Children's Health Ireland and National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh.
Deputy Ó Murchú said the families and their children 'had been through hell'.
The first case he highlighted was one where two of the mother's three children had hip operations, while the third is awaiting surgery.
The children are aged five years, three years and 18 months and the mum has secured a review by a consultant in the North, costing more than €700. She wants it done, because she wants to know whether the youngest child actually needs the operation and whether her other children's surgery was necessary, but she cannot afford it.
Deputy Ó Murchú said the boss of the HSE, Bernard Gloster had indicated that those who want a third party second opinion could get one and it would be paid for by the HSE, but no mechanism has yet been put in place for that to happen, despite the fact that his constituent has an appointment for June 10.
He said another mother living in mid-Louth spoke to him about her child who was three years old when she had surgery in 2023.
Deputy Ó Murchú said: 'She now looks at the scars on her daughter and cries because she is worried that they are the marks of needless suffering.
'Hers was one of the families that received a letter earlier in the year telling her that her daughter was one of the children reviewed in the audit. She is now struggling to come to terms with what has happened and what is going to happen.
'She has asked for a mechanism for getting her daughter's medical records. We need to provide this information. She does not know what percentage her daughter falls into. We need that information and follow-up'.
The case of a third family, whose child was scheduled for surgery and who sought a second opinion before the operation which showed she did not need it, is now doing gymnastics.
He said: 'We need such cases to be included in a review-type process also'.
Minister Jennifer Carroll McNeill said in response to Deputy Ó Murchú about the HSE paying for third party second opinions, that she would work with the HSE on the matter.
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