Girl’s spinal surgery records to be provided after High Court direction

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A High Court judge directed Children’s Health Ireland to provide outstanding medical records for a girl after a hearing on 7 November 2023.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, underwent an unsuccessful spinal operation at Temple Street Children’s Hospital. Her family says the surgery was described to them as inappropriate, and seeks records to assess her care.

The judge did not make a formal order or injunction. CHI had assured the court it would provide any remaining documents, including medical reviews and X-ray scans. The judge said CHI would have to explain if documents were not provided.

Counsel for CHI, Oonah McCrann SC, said it had fully responded and supplied all the records it held on the child, and that the matter was moot. She said CHI would address outstanding matters and provide the additional material and reviews sought if they existed.

Mr Justice David Nolan adjourned the matter for a week. Counsel for the family said more than 6,600 documents had been provided, but scans and other material remained outstanding.