An inquiry into spinal care for children is a step closer with the appointment of a senior barrister as part of the initial scoping exercise.
The planned statutory public inquiry comes after a number of controversies at the Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) group, including unauthorised implantation of springs in children with scoliosis and alleged waiting list irregularities.
The Government announced plans for the inquiry last November after meeting advocacy groups and the parents of the late Harvey Morrison Sherratt. Harvey, who had scoliosis and other health issues, died aged nine last July after waiting a number of years for surgery.
On Tuesday, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill announced the appointment of barrister Remy Farrell as the independent facilitator for the scoping exercise that will inform the terms of reference and potential structure of the inquiry into spina bifida and complex scoliosis services.
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This work will take up to 16 weeks and Farrell is to engage with families, advocacy groups, clinicians, and other stakeholders.
Separately, another barrister, Lorcan Staines, has been appointed as the independent facilitator for a different scoping exercise related to convicted sex offender and former hospital consultant Michael Shine.
The Co Louth-based charity Dignity4Patients, which supports more than 390 survivors of Shine’s abuse, has called for a commission of investigation and the scoping exercise was announced in November.
Staines is to engage with victims and survivors, working alongside Dignity4Patients, and the process is also to take up to 16 weeks.
The Department of Health said a final report and recommendations will be submitted to the Government “to guide the development of an appropriate response to the issues raised, and to the needs identified, by Dignity4Patients on behalf of the victims and survivors of Michael Shine”.
