Parents Demand Answers After Whistleblower Claims on Son’s Care

The parents of Harvey Sherratt, a nine-year-old boy who faced significant delays in receiving scoliosis surgery, expressed their shock at allegations made by a whistleblower regarding the management of his care by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI). According to the whistleblower’s protected disclosure, CHI improperly removed Harvey from its active spinal surgery waiting list, falsely categorizing him as a “palliative” patient.

The disclosure, reviewed by The Journal, claims that a consultant surgeon from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) deemed Harvey suitable for surgery in May 2024, contingent upon improvements in his bone density. Despite this assessment, senior CHI staff reportedly miscommunicated with management, leading them to believe that the GOSH consultant concurred with CHI’s assessment that Harvey was not ready for surgery.

Gillian Sherratt, Harvey’s mother, voiced her concerns during a press conference, stating, “Even if Harvey was palliative, which I can say 100% he was not, why is that not in his medical records?” She emphasized that her son was not receiving any prescription pain relief, a standard expectation for a child in palliative care. Harvey’s parents, Gillian and Stephen Morrison, described the revelations as a “huge shock,” noting that their medical team had never indicated that their son required palliative care.

The couple plans to meet with Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Tánaiste Simon Harris tomorrow to discuss the terms of an independent inquiry into CHI’s handling of their son’s case. Gillian Sherratt stated she is seeking clarity from the government on the response to these serious allegations, which were first reported by the Sunday Times.

She remarked, “While it is incredibly shocking to hear, it does at least give us some indication of what was going on, and it shows that we haven’t been crazy in saying that there is systemic neglect within Children’s Health Ireland.” Gillian further emphasized the importance of understanding whether the misclassification of Harvey’s condition was a result of malice or a mistake, stating, “If this was done maliciously, there are people that need to be in front of the medical council.”

The Sherratt family has been advocating for accountability since they learned in August 2024 that Harvey had been removed from the surgery waiting list. They had been unaware of this change until Gillian contacted CHI to inquire about his surgery plan, as Harvey had been waiting for over three and a half years. By that time, the curvature of his spine had reached a critical 130 degrees. He eventually underwent surgery in December 2024, but tragically, his health deteriorated eight months later, leading to his death on July 29, 2025.

Reflecting on the ongoing situation, Gillian stated, “It’s been fifteen months since I found out that Harvey was removed from the list, and it is just getting worse. We still have no clarity or any accountability as to what led to that.” She is committed to pushing for a full statutory inquiry into CHI’s management of services for children suffering from scoliosis and spina bifida, expressing concern that other children may be facing similar issues.

Adding to the gravity of the situation, the protected disclosure alleged that there were “threats to silence” a staff member after concerns regarding Harvey’s case were raised internally at CHI. The whistleblower stated their motivation for coming forward was their deep concern for patient safety and governance practices at CHI.

In light of these troubling claims, CHI, the Health Service Executive (HSE), and the Department of Health have all been approached for comments. As the Sherratt family seeks answers, their story highlights the critical need for transparency and accountability within healthcare systems.