An eight-year-old boy, Harvey Sherratt, suffering from life-threatening complications due to scoliosis was the subject of a heated debate in Dáil recently. Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, blamed Taoiseach Simon Harris for reneging on his pledge that no child would be made to wait longer than four months for treatment. McDonald highlighted that two years ago, Harvey’s spine curvature was 65 degrees. However, it’s now escalated to 110 degrees, causing his rib cage to press into his heart and lungs, making breathing almost an impossible task. Since last October until Christmas, Harvey’s critical condition necessitated him being whisked away to the hospital five times.
The stress of seeing their child suffer without appropriate medical care has taken a severe toll on Harvey’s parents. Harvey’s father, Stephen, detailed that their family is nearing their wits’ end. His mother Jillian remarked that her son is dying due to the prolonged wait and absence of necessary medical treatment. McDonald further revealed that shockingly, Harvey’s name had been quietly removed from the waiting list without informing the parents.
In her emotional speech to the Dáil, McDonald disclosed that despite several attempts made by the Sherratts to reach out to the Taoiseach, they only received a response on the eve of Dáil’s return, regretfully without any pledge to alleviate their suffering.
McDonald also brought up the Taoiseach’s promise in May to engage with parents of children suffering from scoliosis. It took six months for them to receive his email invitation for an October meeting. The Sinn Féin leader painfully opined that Harvey’s health is gravely deteriorating, emphasising that the parents have been driven to desperation – compelled to seek help at the Dáil, an act that in itself manifests the healthcare system’s failure given the immediate medical attention Harvey needs.
The Taoiseach made it clear that it’s clinicians who decide when it’s safe to carry out surgery, not politicians. He emphasised his personal involvement in Harvey’s case, disclosing that he had communicated directly with the chief executive officer of the HSE and the Health Minister about it. He expressed his hope that soon there would be another appointment to discuss further steps in Harvey’s care, which he deemed crucial.
When Ms Sherratt brought the case to his attention, his office promptly investigated and he responded based on the information given by the HSE. He confirmed that his office had been involved in discussions with advocacy groups and intended to convene a meeting soon. Not only would he attend this meeting, but the new clinical lead for spinal surgery, the Health Minister and the head of the HSE would also be present.
Mr Harris highlighted a significant surge in surgeries carried out in the last two years, with over 300 spinal procedures having already been conducted this year. He recognised that behind each statistic was a child who had received successful treatment after surgery. Extra funding has been allocated to tackle waiting lists, with more staff available for Saturday outpatient clinics and increased capacity for MRI scans. With the aim of providing more surgeries, several changes have been implemented, including treatments at Blackrock Clinic through the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
Questions about Harvey’s case were later asked by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín and Solidarity TD Mick Barry during Taoiseach’s questions. They questioned why Harvey was removed from the surgery waitlist and if other children had experienced the same. Mr Harris said he would need to confirm with the HSE in regards to whether other children had been delisted. He stated the possibility of clinical issues but highlighted that regular and appropriate communication from the HSE was required.