No disclosure on fate of doctors after hospital death

THE Medical Council has refused to comment on its plans for a number of doctors criticised following the death of a man who bled to death at Monaghan General Hospital after no bed could be found to allow him have emergency surgery.

The Council’s Fitness to Practice Committee has been examining an independent report into the death of Pat Joe Walsh but declined to comment yesterday on a newspaper report that a decision had been made not to take any action against the named doctors.

Mr Walsh, 75, a widower and retired farmer from Killanny, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, died in October 2005 from a bleeding ulcer while recovering after a hip replacement operation. The hospital only has daytime theatre hours and is not allowed to carry out emergency surgery but doctors there were unable to find another hospital in the region to take Mr Walsh.

It later emerged in an inquiry launched by the Health Service Executive (HSE) that several other hospitals did have room for Mr Walsh, despite their claims at the time, and a number of doctors were criticised for not pursuing his case more vigorously when he developed emergency status.

The inquiry report was presented to the Medical Council but its spokeswoman said yesterday its members were legally prohibited from commenting on the workings of the Fitness to Practice Committee.

A member of the Walsh family yesterday said they had heard nothing to suggest the council had made up its mind on the issue one way or the other.

The family has initiated legal proceedings against the HSE and the Minister for Health for the failings in the hospital and health service.

Controversy at Monaghan General escalated this week when it emerged a contract was not being renewed for a temporary consultant working in the minor injuries/treatment unit, which replaced the A&E department at the hospital.

Two temporary consultants covered the unit up to December 31 but the medium-term plan is to make the posts permanent and move them to neighbouring Cavan General Hospital where one permanent position already exists. The three-person team would cover Monaghan on a visiting basis.

Local Independent TD Paudge Connolly said the plan breached a HSE commitment not to remove services from Monaghan until better and safer services were in place.

A HSE spokeswoman said the minor injuries/treatment unit would be covered by a temporary appointment starting on January 22.