The Irish Hospital Consultants Association has said that the HIQA report published on Tuesday, concerning unapproved implantable springs used at Temple Street, highlights serious system-wide governance failures at CHI.
The IHCA said consultants had been working under intense pressure with high patient care needs and workloads with inadequate support and it is within this environment that a surgeon, acting with good intent and in the absence of effective structures, endeavoured to provide innovative care to children.
The 200-page review was published by HIQA into the use of unapproved implantable springs in spinal surgery at Temple Street Children's University Hospital in Dublin.
The independent statutory review found that devices were implanted into three children and that "children were not protected from the risk of harm".
Surgeon A, referenced in this week's HIQA review, is a member of the IHCA.
The IHCA said it recognises the deep distress and hurt caused to the three children and their families.
It added that at the time the surgeon believed the devices to be medical-grade stainless steel, CE marked as suitable for use as surgical implants.
However, the IHCA said that due to the numerous failings in the hospital's procurement processes and safety checks, this surgical "never event" happened.
The association said it was, and should have been, entirely preventable had proper policies and procedures been adhered to at Temple Street.
Read more: Lessons must be learned from spinal operations controversy
