Latest news with #CarrollMacNeill
The Journal
a day ago
- Health
- The Journal
Health Minister apologises to woman after HSE admits to ‘failings' over cancer diagnosis
HEALTH MINISTER JENNIFER Carroll MacNeill has apologised to a woman after 'failings' in relation to two smear tests 'led to' her cancer diagnosis. Leona Macken (38) was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2023. She took legal action in relation to two cervical smear tests, one in 2016 and one in 2020, which medical experts said were incorrectly reported as negative. An apology from the HSE was read out in the High Court yesterday after Macken settled the legal action. The High Court heard that Macken now has incurable metastatic cancer. A letter of apology from the chief executive of the National Screening Service Fiona Murphy, on behalf of the service and the HSE, apologised for the 'failings that have occurred and led to your diagnosis'. An undisclosed settlement was made for damages and the statement expressed 'hope that this settlement will give you and your family some level of comfort, peace of mind and security'. 'Need to look into this myself' Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Macken said she felt she had to go down a legal route to get answers. 'I had been asking questions and they weren't met by the answers that I was looking for, so that's why I said I need to look into this myself. 'I didn't really know where to be going and that's when they contacted Cian O'Carroll Solicitors.' Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Carroll MacNeill said there 'should be open disclosure' and she also offered her apology to Macken. While Carroll MacNeill said 'screening programmes will always have some limitations', she added that it 'shouldn't happen' that people need to fight for an audit for their personal records. 'I don't want to provide a justification for why is it happening, it shouldn't happen,' said Carroll MacNeill. She said people in medical negligence cases need to have 'timely, open disclosure'. 'They need a resolution to their case, and they do not need additional stress going through the court process,' said Carroll MacNeill. 'These are very clear cases and it is really important that people are not provided additional stress and additional hurt through a court process when some of the issues are very clear, and that has to change. Advertisement 'There is a very different way that we need to approach medical negligence cases and how they're treated and that is one of the most important things I will be trying to address during the period that I am Minister for Health.' 'Thank God I started asking questions' Meanwhile, Macken said yesterday's apology mean a 'huge amount to her'. 'The acknowledgement of the failures and was a really good conclusion,' said Macken. 'We didn't know whether we were going to get it and there's been a lot of women in my position that didn't get that, so it is something I don't take for granted.' Macken said she had never missed a smear test and said of her diagnosis: 'How did I go from a normal smear in 2020 to cancer in 2023, it just didn't add up my head. 'Thank God I did start asking questions because I don't know if I would have ever found this out.' She added that a cancer diagnosis 'wasn't in my mind at all because I had no history of abnormalities'. Macken added that there has been 'no contact or response from the government' despite her solicitor Cian O'Carroll 'reaching out at a certain points'. She also remarked that 'there's so many things in the system that need to be rectified'. Speaking to RTÉ yesterday, O'Carroll said it is a 'complete falsehood' that there has been an improvement in the way women are told about mistakes in their smear tests. He said: 'The point Macken was making was that, standing outside the High Court in Ireland seven years on from when Vicky Phelan stood in the exact same spot, effectively nothing had changed. 'She was still complaining of similar errors, but ones that have now occurred two years after Vicky. 'Also like Vicky, she was not told of any failures in her screening.' O'Carroll added that it was 'a very big burden' for Macken to pursue the case when 'the time you have left is limited'. Macken however said she is 'determined to try and find something to get me out of this'. 'I'm not giving up, I've too much to live for,' she told Newstalk Breakfast. 'I have two beautiful children, I have an amazing family and a huge support behind me. 'In every other aspect of my life, I've always said I'm so lucky, I just have the most beautiful life, and I don't want to leave it.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Two new members appointed to CHI board after resignations
Two new board members have been appointed to the Children's Health Ireland (CHI) board. It follows the resignations of four members in the past week. Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has appointed Dr Yvonne Traynor and Dr Anne Carrigy. Dr Traynor has been a member of the Health Service Executive (HSE) board since June 2019. She was vice president of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs with the Kerry Group. Dr Carrigy has been a member of the HSE board since March 2021. She is a nurse and joined the HSE as Director of the Serious Incident Management Team and later became National Lead, Acute Hospital Services HSE. Minister Carroll MacNeill said the appointments would strengthen governance and oversight at CHI. It comes as Ms Carroll MacNeill announced the resignation of three CHI board members on Tuesday, while another member resigned last week. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Ms Carroll MacNeill said she had made it clear that she had "strong questions about the governance of CHI and its direction towards the future". "We've had three resignations from the board. These would be individuals who have worked on the board, worked in [a] volunteer capacity on the board since 2018," she added. The three members are Dr Gavin Lavery, Brigid McManus and Catherine Guy. Mary Cryan also resigned last week. Ms Carroll MacNeill said she had not asked the members to resign, as she does not have the authority to. "I have a different relationship with the CHI board in statute than any other minister really has with most other boards. It is an unusual structure, and I don't have the authority to ask people to step down in the way that you normally might expect," she said. "I want to thank those people for the service that they have given to the public because we recognise that these are voluntary positions, and we are asking people to step out of their other lives to perform a public service in this measure," she added. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it is "absolutely critical" that there is fundamental reform at the CHI, to ensure there is a multi-disciplinary approach across all areas of medicine which it is responsible for. Speaking in the Dáil, the Taoiseach said there will be an external and independent clinical audit to give assurances to both family and patients. He said there had to be "accountability", given that recent revelations were "deeply deeply worrying".
The Irish Sun
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Latest bombshell as 3 CHI board members quit amid ‘horrendous scandal' over ‘unnecessary' hip surgeries in 2 hospitals
THREE board members of Children's Health Ireland (CHI) have resigned with immediate effect, the Minister for Health has said. Jennifer Carroll Advertisement It comes after several controversies involving CHI, including a report published on Friday that found many children underwent ' The clinical audit of dysplasia of the hips surgeries in Minister Carroll MacNeill revealed that three members - Dr Gavin Lavery, Brigid McManus and Catherine Guy - had resigned on Tuesday morning. Explaining the move, she said: 'These would be individuals who have worked on the board, worked in volunteer capacity on the board since 2018 and who have provided, you know, a very strong service in bringing the hospitals from where they were, as I said, that historical model run by the religious further. Advertisement READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS 'And they have dealt with very challenging circumstances but I think, it's also important to recognise that they have stepped down this morning, so as I look at the board.' A fourth member of the board, Mary Cryan, resigned last week. Commenting on the current situation, Minister Carroll MacNeill added: 'I have made it clear that I have strong questions about the governance of CHI and its direction towards the future. 'This is something that I've referenced a number of times in the Advertisement Most read in The Irish Sun Exclusive Exclusive 'I have a different relationship with the CHI board in statute than any other minister really has with most other boards. 'It is an unusual structure and I don't have the authority to ask people to step down in the way that you normally might expect. 'I do recognise that there have been resignations this morning and I want to thank those people for the service that they have given to the public because we recognise that these are voluntary positions. Advertisement 'And we're asking people to step out of their other lives to perform a public service in this measure." The review discovered that in the period 2021 to 2023 almost 80 per cent of children operated on at the NOHC, and 60 per cent of those at Temple Street, did not meet the threshold for surgery. The 2,259 children who underwent hip surgeries in the three hospitals (NOHC, CHI Temple Street and CHI Crumlin) from as far back as 2010 will now be subject to clinical reviews. Families call for action to tackle children's spinal surgery waiting list scandal Opposition TDs have called for a public inquiry and for CHI to be fully subsumed into the HSE. Advertisement The CHI hospital group is a distinct entity from the HSE, although it is funded by the HSE and accountable to it. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said the hip dysplasia issue was a 'horrendous scandal' and there was a 'very fundamental problem of governance' in CHI. 'I think CHI is not fit for purpose as currently set up. I think that's kind of part of what a public inquiry needs to look at, but it needs to be quick.' Our Kids Can't Wait Campaign WAITING lists in Ireland have long been a national disgrace. More than 106,000 children are on hospital waiting lists for all treatments. However, a new source of shame has emerged as 327 children wait for life changing spinal surgeries. Their conditions are getting worse while they languish on waiting lists. Such are the delays, many child patients will be outside the therapeutic window when their treatments are approved. Earlier this month, the Seanad heard how at least one child has become permanently paralysed since the issue was raised publicly before Christmas. Their plight has been spearheaded by campaigning Senator Tom Clonan, who himself has a child with a disability. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has even admitted that the health service is failing these kids. Children are being allowed to deteriorate due to mismanagement, which has allowed the waiting lists to grow. The Irish Sun's Kids Can't Wait campaign aims to shine a light on how the State is failing sick children and give their families a voice. It will also force the Government to do something to clear the backlog of operations and give these children a chance of living a normal life. 1 Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said those who stepped down dealt with 'very challenging circumstances' Credit: PA Advertisement
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Three members of CHI board resign, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill confirms
Ms Carroll MacNeill said the three members, Dr Gavin Lavery, Brigid McManus and Catherine Guy, held voluntary positions on the CHI board. The resignations comes following a number of controversies surrounding CHI. A report published on Friday found a number of children had undergone unnecessary hip surgeries in two Dublin hospitals. The majority of cases reviewed at the Temple Street and Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospitals found the threshold for surgery treating hip dysplasia in children was lower than that at Crumlin Children's Hospital. "We've had three resignations from the board this morning. These would be individuals who have worked on the board, worked in a volunteer capacity on the board since 2018 and who have provided a very strong service in bringing the hospitals from where they were,' Ms Carroll MacNeill told RTÉ's News At One. The Health Minister said she has 'strong questions about the governance of CHI and its direction towards the future'. "This is something that I've referenced a number of times in the Dáil and I've said that very clearly, we need to have a functional governance structure to enable us to get to the opening of the Children's Hospital and to deal with the very many issues in children's health. "I have a different relationship with the CHI board in statute than any other minister really has with most other boards. It is an unusual structure and I don't have the authority to ask people to step down in the way that you normally might expect.' The independent review found 40pc of the surgeries reviewed at Temple Street met the criteria, while the figure for Cappagh was just 21pc. Separately, The Sunday Times revealed an unpublished report which found a consultant was paid more than €35,000 through the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), a scheme aimed at reducing waiting times in the public health system by paying for patients to be treated privately. Ms Carroll MacNeill said she and senior Department of Health officials have read the report and she was written to CHI with a 'detailed series of questions'. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'I am trying to gather information, and I am trying, it's very important to say, to work at the legal parameters around how I would publish this report. 'I do think it will be important that it is published, but I need to make sure that I take the correct steps. There are important issues in this report. Number one for patient safety first and foremost.' She said the report outlines issues around the scheduling of operations and 'very toxic behaviours' at Crumlin Hospital. 'That is not the first time that we have heard about this across the surgical system in CHI, some of the other reports relating to hips and other issues detail very, very difficult working circumstances. 'So, this is an issue that is not confined to Temple Street nor to Crumlin, but there has been a historical issue in CHI that very clearly needs very close attention.' Payments through the NTPF are normally made to hospitals 'more broadly' she said, rather than to any individual consultant, with the sole purpose of reducing the amount of time public patients are on waiting lists. She said she will wait until the publication of the report to determine if the NTPF was misused, and the Department of Health should have been aware of its findings sooner.
The Journal
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Journal
Three members of Children's Health Ireland board resign after review into hip surgeries
MINISTER FOR HEALTH Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has said that three members of the Children's Health Ireland (CHI) board have resigned from their positions following the release of an independent review into children's hip surgeries at three CHI hospitals. The review found that at the Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital and the Temple Street hospital in the majority of cases reviewed, the criteria for performing surgery to treat hip dysplasia on children was not met. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One programme this afternoon, Carroll MacNeill said that 'functional governance' is needed in CHI ahead of the opening of the Children's Hospital, and that she had raised 'strong questions about the governance of CHI and its direction towards the future'. The CHI board, which had ten members, is now down to seven. The independent review published last Friday established that in Temple Street, roughly 40% of the surgeries the audit reviewed were indicated to have met the criteria; in Cappagh, 21% were indicated, and in Crumlin, virtually all surgeries fell under the criteria. Following its findings, the CEO of CHI Lucy Nugent apologised to 'impacted families' who were not offered a 'consistent and excellent standard of care'. She said that CHI is currently standardising care across all of its sites and that CHI will 'act swiftly' and in an 'open and transparent' manner to 'answer outstanding questions raised by this audit'. Advertisement The Sunday Times also reported last week on unpublished findings that a consultant breached HSE guidelines by referring patients he was seeing in his public practice to weekend clinics that he was operating separately. The consultant was paid €35,800 via the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), which aims to cut waiting times by paying private practices to treat patients on public waiting lists. However, a 2021 inquiry found the patients selected had not waited longest, and so did not qualify for the consultant's appointments. HSE chief Bernard Gloster said he was 'shocked' by the report and 'even more shocked because nobody has told me about it'. Speaking on the radio today, the Health Minister said that the report is very serious, and that she received it yesterday at 3.30pm. Carroll MacNeill said that she is working out the 'legal parameters around publishing the report', adding that she does feel it is important that it is published. She said it raises important issues about the way the scheduling of operations is handled in CHI. She said it also details 'toxic behaviours' at CHI Crumlin. She said there are also serious questions about the actions of the NTPF. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
