27-05-2025
Parents take issue with calls to hip dysplasia surgery helpline being recorded
The issue emerged as a concern among parents who were part of an online meeting at the weekend organised by Scoliosis Advocacy Network and Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group.
Around 200 calls were received by the helpline over the weekend after the audit report by a British surgeon highlighted concern about the high level of potentially unnecessary hip dysplasia surgeries in Temple Street Hospital and Cappagh Hospital.
The HSE records calls to enable monitoring and quality assurance and to help with appropriate support to improve the overall service. But parents who may be taking legal action say they are cautious about being recorded.
Over 2,200 parents are to be invited to have their child medically reviewed over the next six months. Some 147 children who had the surgery, involving 14 surgeons between 2021 and 2023 across three hospitals, including Crumlin Hospital, were audited.
The advocacy groups are still unclear if the parents whose children were part of the audit have been contacted and those whose surgery may not have been necessary have been notified.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said she will bring the terms of reference for the establishment of an expert panel to review the cases in the report to the Cabinet next week.
The revelations strengthen the call by the advocacy groups for a strong inquiry into Children's Health Ireland (CHI) to examine how it was run and its management of areas such as waiting lists.
Labour spokeswoman on health, Marie Sherlock said, 'it's crucial that there will now be enhanced operational oversight of CHI by the HSE ... The minister must compel CHI to stop the appalling drip-feed of revelations, ensure all inquiries into wrongdoing are published, ensure full operational oversight by the HSE of CHI and move to appoint a Scally review type of inquiry into how overall systems can be improved across CHI.'
