Sinn Fein says Government ‘facilitating’ failures at CHI amid data probe

The Government “facilitates” failures at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), Sinn Fein has said, as the State data watchdog launched a probe into its handling of child health records.

The Data Protection Commission (DPC) opened an inquiry on Thursday into the physical safety and security of children’s health records within one specific CHI facility in Tallaght.

The DPC said it became aware there were potential issues at this site from a number of sources of information, including through protected disclosures and a breach notification from CHI itself.

Having reviewed the information, the DPC conducted an unannounced site inspection on July 16 and has now decided to launch a formal inquiry.

The probe will examine CHI’s compliance with their GDPR obligations, in particular relating to the security of personal data and the processes that it has in place for managing physical records at CHI Tallaght.

Asked about the matter, Sinn Fein health spokesman David Cullinane said there had been a series of clinical, governance and management failures at CHI.

He said these included the implantation of unauthorised non-medical grade springs, unnecessary hip surgeries, and problems around insourcing.

Mr Cullinane said he has “absolutely no confidence in CHI”, adding that the trust between CHI and parents had been “shattered”.

He said: “But it’s the Government that facilitates and allows an organisation of Children’s Health Ireland to continue with all of those failures.

“And what’s really frustrating for advocate groups and campaign groups and families is that all of these failures that we’re now hearing about, they were raising, they were talking about.

“They were telling the stories, and they were ignored, and they were met with the wall of resistance.”

CHI said it is co-operating fully with the DPC over the matter, and added: “Our priority remains the protection of patient information and ensuring all personal data is handled in line with our legal obligations.”