Women repeat call for inquiry after needless womb removals

WOMEN who had their wombs removed unnecessarily have again called for a public tribunal of inquiry.

More than 60 women are taking legal action against consultant obstetrician Dr Michael Neary.

Patient Focus, representing the women, also criticised the Medical Council, which has still to complete its inquiry into Dr Neary.

The comments came after the Supreme Court rejected an appeal taken by Dr Neary and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda against Alison Gough.

Last November, the High Court found Dr Neary was negligent in his treatment of Ms Gough at the time of the birth of her first and only baby in October 1992.

Sheila O’Connor of Patient Focus said she had mixed feelings after yesterday’s judgement.

“There’s huge joy for Alison and Fergus that their long fight is at last over. They’re a very brave couple and I have huge admiration for their dignity and strength.

“I also feel very sad that it has taken so long to get here. A huge tragedy has unfolded in the north east of this country for a large number of very young women who had their wombs removed, mostly having their first baby, some as young as 19.

“It’s a tragedy beyond description and I want the full country and the medical profession to realise just how dreadful this whole story is.”

Ms O’Connor said Patient Focus was repeating its call for a public inquiry.

“We want an independent tribunal of inquiry so that the country can find out what really happened in Drogheda, so that the women have an opportunity to tell their stories.”

Speaking on RTE radio she said up to 30% of the women concerned did not have medical records and that a public tribunal was their only means of finding out what happened.

“They don’t have medical records. They’re lost, gone. Who knows what has happened?

“These women had exactly the same experiences, exactly the same procedures as Alison, and they can’t be just left abandoned because of the negligence of the hospital or of whoever.”

She added: “So the women call on Micheál Martin now to do what needs to be done, and what he knows needs to be done, and he has acknowledged needs to be done, a tribunal of inquiry to find out what happened, why it went on for 20 years without any shouting stop and to compensate the damage to people.”

Ms O’Connor also criticised the Medical Council inquiry, which she said had been examining the cases of 10 women for the last four years.

“This doctor has been suspended for four years pending an inquiry. This is what women believe is fundamentally an inquiry behind closed doors.

A spokeswoman for Mr Martin said: “The Minister can’t do anything until the Medical Council concludes their investigations and the Minister hasn’t received its report.”