One family has called Children's Health Ireland 'utterly incompetent' in their approach to scoliosis and other spinal issues, as anger grows after the death of young Harvey Morrison-Sherratt.
9-year-old Harvey died at the end of July, having suffered from scoliosis and spina bifida. His parents are due to meet Tánaiste Simon Harris, who said in 2017 that no child would wait more than four months for scoliosis surgery while Minister for Health.
As Harvey faced delay after delay, so Lunchtime Live heard from advocates and families exposed to similar waiting times for treatment for their loved ones.
Scoliosis scandal
Co-lead of Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Paediatrics Advocacy, Una Knightley, whose son Sean has spina bifida, called out Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) on their handling of the cases.
“Take it out of the hands of Children’s Health Ireland, because they are utterly incompetent," Ms Knightley said.
“[Sean] can’t even get an X-ray.
“We’re saying there’s something really wrong with this organisation, the spinal list should be taken out of their [CHI’s] hands.
"They have failed, despite massive money and massive resources, to improve anything."
Una says she is forced to monitor Sean herself because of a lack of access to professionals in the area.
“I’m there with the measuring tape and taking photos. He’s 14 - it should be the way that you get an X-ray once a year - it’s not rocket science.
Generational scoliosis waits
Carolann Walsh's daughter spoke about her five-year-old daughter Hannah, who is currently waiting for an MRI scan for scoliosis. Carolann has also fought her own battle with scoliosis, eventually getting surgery in 2009 as a teenager after a public campaign.
“[Waiting times] are going on since I was younger - I grew up with the same problems - back in 2008.
“Cutbacks got in the way of my treatment; the ward I was meant to have my surgery got closed down.
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Carolann explained the difficulty of seeing her daughter suffering from scoliosis.
“She’s in pain here every night, she gets headaches, and sometimes they escalate into migraines because her spine is putting pressure on where it shouldn’t.
“It’s a hard thing to see your own child going through pain like that and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Bernard Mulvany of People Before Profit is an advocate with Access for All Ireland, and says 'a lot needs to change' regarding Ireland's approach to scoliosis patients.
“The last time I was on the show, it was Christmas 2022 and I was speaking about this and we’re here [in 2025] and beautiful little Harvey is gone, and he was failed."
“Our healthcare professionals are some of the best in the world, and yet the lists are growing all the time, and a promise was made that that was not going to happen, and that promise has been broken.”
Mr. Mulvany added that an event will be taking place on Saturday the 23rd of August at 2pm, from the Garden of Remembrance to The Custom House as advocates will be speaking and calling for action on this issue.
“The country has said this is unacceptable.
“This is justice for Harvey and all the children languishing on those lists."
Written by Cara McHugh
