Nurses were afraid to raise concerns about Dr Neary

AN inquiry into a Drogheda maternity unit where an inordinately high number of women had their wombs removed is expected to reveal nurses were afraid to raise their concerns with senior medical staff.

A draft copy of the report of the Lourdes Inquiry also questions the failure of management to query the high number of hysterectomies carried out by disgraced obstetrician Michael Neary.

Dr Neary was struck off by the Irish Medical Council (IMC) in July 2003 after being found guilty of professional misconduct over the unnecessary removal of the wombs of 13 women at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. Dr Neary had worked at the hospital for more than 20 years.