Patients and consultants ‘used as pawns’ by firm

A BRITISH firm that has refused to provide insurance cover for obstetricians was accused yesterday of using patients and consultants as pawns in their row with the Department of Health and Children.

Both the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) and the Irish Patients’ Association (IPA) described the Medical Defence Union’s (MDU) stance as reprehensible behaviour.

The MDU has pulled cover from up to 10 obstetricians involved in past malpractice claims, saying it was the responsibility of the State to indemnify them.

Health Minister Micheál Martin responded by charging the MDU with abandoning its responsibilities to Irish obstetricians. The MDU wants the Irish taxpayer to foot the bill for as yet unreported historic obstetric malpractice claims.

About 100 Irish obstetricians are currently members of the MDU. There are also a small unknown number of retired obstetricians who are former members.

Mr Martin said the MDU must allow an in-depth examination of its financial accounts before any agreement could be reached. The MDU, however, is insisting that “a proper basis of an agreement” must be reached first.

Mr Martin said he was accountable to the Dáil for the spending of taxpayer’s money and could not expose the taxpayer to claims of up to €400 million for historic claims for malpractice against consultants.

He also pointed out that the MDU took subscriptions from consultants (which the Government then refunded to consultants) over the past 25 years.

MDU chief executive Dr Michael Saunders said the firm had been involved in talks with the Department of Health for the past 10 years and still no agreement had been reached.

It is almost certain now that the dispute will end up in a lengthy and expensive court battle. The chairman of the Irish Patients’ Association, Stephen McMahon, said they wanted the MDU to sit down with the minister for health and sort the problem out.

“Patients are not going to be used as pawns in this commercial negotiation between the two parties,” he said.

“It is only appropriate considering the sums involved that the MDU should open its books so that the Government, on behalf of the Irish people can have comfort that it has the resources to meet future liabilities,” added Mr McMahon.

IHCA general secretary Finbarr Fitzpatrick said they never expected Mr Martin to issue a blank cheque to the MDU and supported his position on wanting to see the financial books first.

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), who also want to discuss the development with Mr Martin, has called for the immediate appointment of an independent mediator to resolve the medical negligence crisis.

The IMO pointed out that the other main medical defence body for consultants, the Medical Protection Society (MPS), continues to represent consultant obstetricians facing claims of an identical nature.