Council refuses to make procedures public

THE Medical Council has adopted new procedures after a High Court judge criticised its modus operandi, but has declined to say what those changes involve.

Last month, in quashing a Medical Council finding of professional misconduct against two doctors, Mr Justice Peter Kelly found fault with a number of procedures followed by both the Medical Council and its fitness to practise committee (FPC) in reaching their verdict.

The Medical Council had upheld the finding of its FPC that Prof Walter Prendeville, obstetrician/gynaecologist, and Dr John F Murphy, obstetrician/gynaecologist, were guilty of professional misconduct. Both men were involved in compiling a report in 1998 that allowed now disgraced obstetrician/gynaecologist Dr Michael Neary continue working after concerns were raised about the high level of hysterectomies he had carried out while working at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.