Urgent Inquiry into Spinal Care After Tragic Death of 9-Year-Old

BREAKING: An urgent inquiry into spinal care practices at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) has been confirmed following the tragic death of nine-year-old Harvey Morrison Sherratt. His parents, Gillian and Stephen Sherratt, met with Tánaiste Simon Harris and Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to discuss significant failures in Harvey’s treatment, which culminated in his death in July 2023 after prolonged suffering.

This inquiry comes after the Sherratt family revealed that Harvey waited an agonizing seven years for essential surgery. He was removed from CHI’s waiting list without their knowledge and underwent surgery too late, resulting in a heartbreaking loss that has sparked calls for accountability and reform in Ireland’s healthcare system.

Gillian Sherratt expressed her devastation outside Government Buildings, stating, “Simon Harris and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill have committed to an inquiry into spina bifida and scoliosis care at Children’s Health Ireland.” The terms of the inquiry will be developed in collaboration with parental advocacy groups, including The Scoliosis Advocacy Network and the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy group.

The Sherratts are demanding justice, emphasizing that Harvey’s death was preventable. They criticized Harris for failing to honor a pledge made in 2017, promising that no child would wait more than four months for scoliosis treatment. “He made that promise in 2017,” Gillian said, adding, “It’s a pity that it took our child dying to have him willing to meet us now.”

Before the meeting, Stephen Sherratt remarked on the care Harvey received, stating, “We will outline all the extremely scandalous care Harvey received, that the Irish public doesn’t even know about.” They believe a fully independent statutory inquiry is the only way to ensure meaningful change in the healthcare system.

The parents’ emotional plea highlights the devastating impact of delays in treatment and the urgent need for healthcare reform in Ireland. Previous statements from the family underline their frustration and the glaring need for immediate action to prevent further tragedies.

The Department of Health has been contacted for comment as the inquiry progresses. The Sherratt family is set for a follow-up meeting in three weeks, where they hope to see the inquiry lead to substantial changes in pediatric spinal care.

This developing story has resonated deeply within the community, with many parents and advocates rallying behind the Sherratt family’s call for justice. The inquiry represents a critical step toward accountability and reform, aiming to ensure that no other child suffers the same fate as Harvey.

Stay tuned for updates as this urgent situation unfolds.