Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has said that at her meeting with the Board of Children's Health Ireland (CHI), she made clear that what HIQA's independent review highlighted was wrong and should not have been allowed to happen.
The meeting follows the publication last week of the HIQA report into the use of unapproved spinal springs in three children, by one surgeon, which found that children were not protected from the risk of harm.
The surgeon, identified as Surgeon A, remains on leave.
In a statement, the Department of Health said the minister told the board about her expectation that CHI will work with the HSE and her department to ensure that the recommendations from the HIQA report are implemented in full and as quickly as possible.
She expects to get an update on the implementation of the recommendations on 25 April.
The minister also discussed concern at the length of time children are continuing to wait for spinal surgery, while acknowledging the progress achieved under the Spinal Services Management Unit.
The significant programme of work underway to prepare for the opening of the new children’s hospital was also discussed.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said that CHI needs to do everything in its power to ensure that the hospital is opened as safely, and quickly as possible.
She is due to meet the Board of CHI again on 28 April.
Last week, CHI board chairman Dr Jim Browne resigned and apologised for the failings in care.
The report of a separate independent audit into hip surgeries in young children is expected to be published soon.
It was commissioned by CHI from a UK expert and covers the years 2021-2023.
This audit has looked at a randomised, anonymised sample of dysplasia of the hip operations by a number of doctors in young children at CHI sites (Crumlin, Temple Street) and the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh.
CHI has said this review was set up after concern was reported that the threshold criteria being used for surgical intervention with these surgeries, may have been different across the various hospital sites.
Last week, Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty claimed in the Dáil that hundreds of unnecessary hip operations may have taken place.
Another separate independent review, commissioned by the HSE into poor outcomes by Surgeon A, after children's spinal surgeries at Temple Street, is looking at the use of a certain spinal technique and the use of non-alloyed unauthorised springs.
It is being conducted by a UK consultant who specialises in this area of medicine.
Read more: 'This will not happen again', says CHI on spinal springs
