Paul Murphy: Brodie Martin's Cancelled Surgery Exposes Health Failings
Paul Murphy raised the case of eight-year-old Brodie Martin to illustrate failures in the health service and argue that children with complex needs are being failed by the state. He said Brodie, who cannot be left unattended and requires spinal surgery every six months, had a planned operation at Crumlin Hospital cancelled because supports were not available.
Case details
Brodie Martin's operation had been scheduled for Tuesday but was cancelled on the preceding Friday. His mother was told the cancellation was because the hospital could not offer the necessary supports, leaving no one to mind his brother while she attended.
Medical needs and risks
Brodie has multiple complex needs, must be minded at all times and requires spinal surgery every six months. His consultant warned that if the surgery does not take place before winter he is in danger of developing pneumonia.
Family testimony
His mother told Paul Murphy, "he's not an animal, he's a child." Murphy said it was "incredible" that hospitals lack the resources to ensure children with complex needs get the operations they require.
Taoiseach's reply
The Taoiseach said he did not have the background to the specific case and found it difficult to respond. He added that every effort should be made by the service to ensure that if a date is given the surgery goes ahead and that wraparound services should be provided, and said he did not know why that had not happened in this instance.
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Taoiseach, I want to raise a particular case with you which illustrates the problems in our health service and the fact that children with complex needs are being failed by this state. Brodie Martin is eight years old. He has multiple complex needs which means that he can't be left to himself. He has to be minded at all times. He needs to have spinal surgery every six months. He was due to be in Crumlin Hospital this Tuesday but the operation was cancelled on Friday. His mother was told this was because they couldn't offer any supports. So when she would go to drop his brother to creche, there would be nobody available to watch him. If he doesn't get his surgery before winter, his consultant has said that he's in danger of getting pneumonia. His mother said to me, he's not an animal, he's a child. I mean it's just incredible that we don't have the resources in our hospitals to ensure that children with complex needs can get the operations that they need to have. First of all, I don't have the background to the case, Deputy, and it's very difficult to respond. My view would be that every effort should be made by the service. If the date is given for the surgery, the child should have the surgery. And every effort should then be made to provide the wraparound services. I don't know why that's not the case here, and it should be the case. Thank you.
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