Solution nears over health insurance cover

THERE were hopes last night of a breakthrough in the dispute between consultants and the Department of Health over insurance cover.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) yesterday sent a letter to Minister for Health Mary Harney asking her for a written statement confirming that consultants will be covered against claims of past negligence.

IHCA secretary general Finbarr Fitzpatrick said the department’s response to the request could be the “key to sorting out the clinical indemnity problems”.

The row over insurance cover has prevented consultants from joining the Hanly Report implementation bodies and starting talks on new work contracts.

It is now a year since the controversial Hanly Report, which sets out a 10-year plan for a reform of hospital structures, was published.

Despite Mr Fitzpatrick’s optimism, the Hanly Report was sarcastically dismissed at an Oireachtas Health Committee yesterday. IHCA enterprise liability committee chairman Prof Michael O’Keeffe, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Mater Hospital, said:

“If I were a politician, I would put it to bed.” In support, IHCA president Dr Josh Keaveny, a consultant anaesthetist at Beaumont Hospital, referred it as “the late” Hanly report.

The Government has introduced the Clinical Indemnity Scheme, which provides insurance cover for consultants in public hospitals, but it does not cover historic medical negligence cases arising out of incidents which occurred in the past.

Estimates of the cost of historic cases range from €130m to €400m.

The consultants insurance company, the Medical Defence Union, is refusing to cover these cases.

The consultants want a guarantee from the Government that consultants who are refused indemnity by the Medical Defence Union will be covered by the State.

Tánaiste Mary Harney has said no hospital consultant would be without cover and no patient without redress.

Following the presentation, Labour health spokesperson Liz McManus called on the Tánaiste to confirm the commitment.

“I also urge every effort be made to resolve what is an unacceptable stand off between the Department of Health and the Medical Defence Union,” she said.

Oireachtas Health Committee acting chairman John Moloney said that the committee will be recommending an independent arbitrator be appointed to resolve the row.

There is a likelihood of a test case being taken by a consultant who was refused cover by the Medical Defence Union, with Prof O’Keeffe saying the State could indemnify the doctor and it would cost around €500,000 to run the case.