Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

This is my tenth year speaking in the Dáil and representing my constituents. There have been tough days where I had to stand up and one of them related to the Maskey report on mental health. Today is another one of those days when we discuss unnecessary hip surgeries in Children's Health Ireland, CHI.

The patients and families affected by the publication of the audit report are at the forefront of my mind, as they are for every Deputy. I understand the frustration, anxiety and, indeed, anger the families and these children and young people will be feeling as they read through the report and consider its findings.

There is no doubt parents will be questioning themselves, wondering if they did something wrong and questioning the trust they placed in the doctors to care properly for their children. Children’s Health Ireland and the clinicians that work there have a job of work to do to restore and rebuild trust with children and families. We can all have our say on all sides of the House but what matters most, and what is most important for me, is the families get answers to all the questions they have arising from the report.

The Minister for Health has directed a strong and urgent response to the report with the children, parents and families at the centre of the response. Children’s Health Ireland needs to now continue to respond without equivocation. I note the apology from the chief executive that families were not offered one consistent and excellent standard of care and that children were simply let down. CHI is acting swiftly to provide answers to patients and families. It is important to highlight that clinical follow-up is under way for children who have had these procedures. This has to be the immediate priority and I welcome that these patients are front and centre.

I also welcome that letters are being issued to families and that appropriate follow-up arrangements will be put in place, taking into account each individual case, the age of the child and where he or she had his or her surgery. We cannot leave patients or their parents questioning something in a letter or unsure if the latest piece of information actually relates to them. I was shocked to hear, even though I only heard it anecdotally in the House today, that in the letters it has been requested only one parent attend with a child. That is absolutely appalling and we will have to rectify that. Parents must be facilitated in the communications under way with families regarding arrangements and next steps currently available to them. Their questions must be answered and they must be able to trust and rely on the health services in place to treat children.

It is crucial families are updated and communicated with in a transparent and timely manner and their worries, questions and feedback are listened to closely as the response to this issue rolls out. The important question still remains for parents of whether the surgery their child had met the proper standard. That question must be answered for each and every person who asks and it must be answered by the clinicians and not us as politicians.

I look forward to hearing further from the board and executive of CHI on implementation of the recommendations in an open and transparent way.

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