Donnelly open to including other hospitals in spinal surgery review
Health Set This Is Donnelly Himself Meet Intended Their To To To Minister And As Said He Well Listen Requests Carefully Families Week Stephen
Health minister Stephen Donnelly said he was open to updating the terms of reference for a proposed external review of serious safety issues around spinal surgeries at Temple Street hospital.
This follows calls from patient advocacy groups for any review to look at the clinical situation across all hospitals connected to Temple Street, as part of the Children’s Health Ireland hospital group.
The HSE-commissioned review is to be led by Liverpool-based expert Selvadurai Nayagam.
Mr Donnelly said on Monday: “I am not only open to updating the terms of reference, it was intended as part of the work, the initial idea being that the doctor leading the work, Dr Nayagam would meet with the families and hear directly from them what they want.”
He is set to meet families himself this week and said he intended to listen carefully to their requests as well.
“If Dr Nayagam has any cause to believe that should be expanded, he has full authority to do that and we wouldn’t rule anything like that out, we would fully support that, if that’s what is required,” he said.
The minister said it had always been the intention that this expert would meet with families and their requests would feed into the review.
Speaking to the media during the Patients’ Rights Day Conference held in Dublin and hosted by the Irish Patients Association, he said the situation was “deadly serious”.
He rejected comments by Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane to RTÉ earlier on Monday that he is asleep on the job.
Mr Donnelly said: “I think it’s part of David’s job to say things like that, the issue we are dealing with in terms of patients' safety in Temple Street is deadly serious, and I really hope that people will not start playing politics with that, and engaging in silly sloganeering.”
He called on the Dáil to look seriously at the issue.
Parents have also raised fears that as the surgeon whose work is under review is not doing surgeries, their children could face longer waiting lists.
Responding to these fears, Mr Donnelly said while the hospital group was doing more spinal surgeries than before, they are also still facing long waiting lists, which parents are right to be angry about.
On Sunday, HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster said 100 children have been waiting for spinal surgery longer than the four-month target for this vital surgery.
Mr Donnelly said: "One of the things I’m asking Dr Nayagam to do is, as well as looking at the clinical issues in Temple St, is to take a look at the totality of the service, across CHI, Temple St, Crumlin, Cappagh, they use Blackrock for some surgeries.
“And to tell me is there anything we can be doing to get down to those targets, that is the only thing that matters, is that these boys and girls get this surgery when they need it.”
He told the he did not agree with allegations the proposed review and Children’s Health Ireland are “scapegoating” the consultant whose work will be the main focus of the proposed review.
“I don’t agree with that, I don’t think that is what’s going on,” he said.
“When patient safety issues are raised, there are reports and reviews which must be done , that’s what’s happening at the moment.”