Review shock for more women

THE threat of cancer lingered for a number of women last night when a surgical review of their breast ultrasounds indicated they require further medical follow-up.

The women were among 21 former patients of the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise who attended a special clinic in the town last night.

The two-day clinic, held at the Cuisle centre, and overseen by breast specialist Prof Arnie Hill, was attended over a two-day period by 105 women whose ultrasounds were reviewed on foot of misdiagnosis concerns at the Portlaoise hospital. A separate review of mammograms found nine woman had been wrongly told they were clear.

Last night a spokesperson for the Health Service Executive said a number of women who did not attend the two-day clinic will be facilitated at a Dublin hospital later this week. She said “a handful” of the 21 women who attended last night’s clinic required further follow-up. She would not say how many or how serious their condition was.

Separately, the board of the HSE announced last night that it is to engage an “independent external person” to review its management of events following the decision to suspend breast radiology services at Portlaoise hospital.

The review was ordered by Health Minister Mary Harney after the HSE failed to inform her ultrasounds, and not just mammograms, were the subject of two separate look-back exercises.

To the minister’s embarrassment, she only learned of the ultrasound review at a Dáil health committee meeting last week, where it was revealed 97 women whose ultrasounds had been re-examined were in need of surgical review.

After last night’s meeting, the board’s chairman Liam Downey said they would establish a committee to finalise terms of reference for the review.

A statement from the board said: “That person will be required to establish the facts and report back to the board committee.”

Mr Downey will chair the committee which includes board members Prof Anne Scott, Eugene McCague and Prof Michael Murphy.