Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) is investigating “alleged deviation” from the hip surgery review process, after a number of parents reported receiving calls from the surgeons who operated on their children seeking to review their own work.
In May, the Health Service Executive (HSE) published an independent audit on hip surgery thresholds for children with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).
It examined 147 cases across three hospitals: Temple Street, the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh and Crumlin Hospital. In Temple Street, 60 per cent of surgeries audited did not meet the clinical threshold for surgical intervention, while this was the case for 79 per cent at Cappagh hospital.
Consequently, the executive announced that CHI would offer 1,800 children follow-up appointments – a process which has started – in addition to the establishment of a panel of international experts to examine whether these operations were needed.
One mother, who spoke to The Irish Times on condition of anonymity, said she had received two phone calls from the surgeon who operated on her child asking her to come in so he could review his work. The mother received one of the calls last month and the other this month.
“In the first phone call, he just said he wanted to review her,” she said. “The call was so out of the blue and I was really confused. I agreed that he could review her because I was just so shocked, but then I just didn’t go. He shouldn’t be reviewing his own work.
“That’s why he rang again. When the second call came in, that’s when I was really questioning things. Alarm bells were ringing for me.”
A spokeswoman for the Hip Dysplasia Advocacy Group, which represents affected families, said she was aware of a number of families who had been contacted in this manner by surgeons.
“We have written to CHI about the issue,” she said.
In a statement, CHI said it has a “clearly defined process in place to follow up with families in line with the recommendations” of the audit. CHI added that it “fully supports” the independent Health Service Executive review into indications for surgery.
“This process is designed to ensure that all communications with families are handled in a consistent, transparent and supportive manner. Consultants or any staff members should not be contacting families outside of these established protocols in relation to the DDH audit,” the statement said.
“CHI takes any alleged deviation from this process extremely seriously and is investigating same.”
A spokeswoman said the paediatric healthcare group recognises the “importance of rebuilding and maintaining trust with our families affected by the DDH audit”.
“We offer our full support to them. CHI’s commitment remains to ensuring safe, transparent and compassionate care for every child and family in our care.”
CHI is due to meet the Hip Dysplasia Advocacy Group on Saturday as part of their ongoing engagement on the topic.
The HSE’s independent panel of experts, which will provide families with the option for a second review as to the necessity of their child’s DDH surgery, is expected to convene this month. A review of patient files is expected to begin in January.
CHI has faced a number of controversies relating to its paediatric orthopaedic services in recent years.
Earlier this year, the Health Information and Quality Authority published a report on the unauthorised implantation of springs into three children with scoliosis, which found children were “not protected from the risk of harm”.
Meanwhile, a third and final report on orthopaedic surgery, led by Dr Selvadurai Nayagam, still has no completion date, two years after it was commissioned.