Drumm says third case of misdiagnosis expected
Speaking after the Regional Health Forum West meeting in Galway, Professor Brendan Drumm said he was told last Monday that there may be a third case, but this has to be validated.
He said there may be significantly more cases and not just in Ennis. “There are people up and down the country who may have been misdiagnosed but it hasn’t become public yet,” he said.
Prof Drumm also confirmed that an internal inquiry into the case of Edel Kelly has now been completed but the details will not be made public until the family has been fully informed.
Meanwhile, the man charged with implementing the state’s cancer control programme believes little will be learned from independent inquiries into the misdiagnoses of two women at Ennis General Hospital.
Director of the National Cancer Control Programme Prof Tom Keane said errors were made in the care of Ann Moriarty and Edel Kelly and, while both cases were distressing, they reflected the “old system”.
He said Ms Kelly’s breast cancer misdiagnosis was a “classic example” of why Ireland needed eight specialist centres.
Prof Keane pointed out that current knowledge suggested that up to 1% of breast cancers are not diagnosed.
“It is never 100%, but by concentrating expertise, by having triple assessment, we will reduce the rate to the lowest level possible.”
The professor pointed out that in Ms Kelly’s case it was a failure to make a primary diagnosis as there was no triple assessment and the discordant findings were not followed up.
He was also satisfied that he had the resources needed to fully implement the breast cancer programme. “I am very confident that we will have a breast cancer service resourced to the highest level that will meet the best standards that you will find anywhere in the world by next year.”
Earlier, the programme’s national advisor on surgical oncology, Prof Arnold Hill, said independent inquiries into the alleged breast cancer misdiagnoses, while helpful for the families, might not be of value to the public.
He also pointed out that the Health Information and Quality Authority’s (HIQA) report on Rebecca O’Malley’s breast diagnosis had 15 clear recommendations that were being “rapidly” implemented.
The HIQA had also audited the eight specialist centres and their report was now awaited. “I think it is a safer time now in breast cancer management in Ireland,” he said.
Fine Gael’s spokesman on health, Dr James Reilly, said it now appeared that the two senior medics were closing ranks and closing the door on an independent inquiry. “If they have confidence in the system they run, what could they possibly be afraid of,” he asked.
