Investigate doctor over womb ops, say women
Yesterday one of the women, Alison Gough aged 37, of Market House, Ardee, Co Louth, was awarded 273,000 in damages. Mrs Gough sued Dr Michael Neary after he removed her womb unnecessarily after the birth of her first child by caesarian section.
Speaking after the ruling, Sheila O'Connor of Patient Focus said a tribunal was needed to get to the bottom of the 20-year scandal.
Ms O'Connor said their calls have been ignored by Health Minister Micheál Martin and opposition politicians despite repeated requests.
"We have spoken to Micheal Martin on at least four occasions, but unfortunately the minister seems to think that granting us an audience was sufficient prize for us. We don't feel that way.
"It is enormously disappointing that people seem to think that when doctors misbehave, it's acceptable to turn a blind eye. This will no longer be possible," said Sheila O'Connor.
Mrs Gough was 27 at the time of the operation in 1992, and it was her first pregnancy. She told the court that she had been devastated when she was told that her womb had been removed after the birth of her son.
Afterwards, she had to consult a psychiatrist and the operation had a catastrophic affect on her life.
Finding Dr Neary negligent, Mr Justice Richard Johnson said the consultant had carried out certain procedures at the time and that, on the balance of probability, Mrs Gough's bleeding could have been stopped and the operation would not have been necessary.
The court heard Dr Neary whose name was removed from the Medical Register in 1999 after other High Court proceedings had carried out one hysterectomy for every 20 caesarean births, while the average at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin was one in 441.
After yesterday's judgment, Mrs Gough, who also had costs for the eight-day hearing awarded in her favour, hugged her husband Fergus and other members of her family.
She said she was delighted and relieved at the ruling.
