Payment of negligence claims in doubt

EIGHTY women suing obstetricians for negligence could be left without any compensation unless the State picks up the multi-million euro tab for these doctors’ liabilities.

The British-based Medical Defence Union (MDU), which indemnified Irish consultant obstetricians up to March 2001, said yesterday it may not be able to defend its members for any liabilities before that date.

Now the MDU wants the Department of Health to pick up the costs of any medical negligence claims arising from work done by obstetricians in public hospitals before March 2001. It estimates this could cost anything up to €150 million.