Ahern either ‘clueless or covering up’
Mr Ahern was unable to give specific answers to a series of questions about the second review of pathology services at Cork University Hospital (CUH).
The first review was announced in May following the misdiagnosis of Rebecca O’Malley.
The review is being undertaken by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and is also examining the breast disease services provided at the Mid-West Regional Hospital in Limerick.
However, this month, it emerged that a separate review of pathology services at CUH had been launched in September following concerns about the work of a Finnish consultant pathologist and that a potential 15 misdiagnoses have come to light.
In the Dáil yesterday, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny demanded answers on a series of questions surrounding the second review in Cork, but the Taoiseach was unable to provide specific details.
Asked, for example, whether the review had confirmed 15 misdiagnoses, Mr Ahern replied: “In the course of that review, several patients — I don’t have a number; you asked me to confirm 15; I can’t confirm 15 — but several patients have already been recalled for a review. It’s not saying what was the purpose, but obviously some of the work was considered that it required to be recalled.”
Mr Kenny said he had first asked the Taoiseach about the reported 15 misdiagnoses on November 7 — more than a fortnight before Mr Ahern said the minister was notified of the review.
