Naming consultants may lead to lawsuits, claims HSE

The HSE cannot name and shame the consultants whose failure to sign off on forms is costing the State €61m a year — because doing so could amount to defamation.

The warning is contained in an official report sent by health service chiefs to the Oireachtas public accounts committee, which discussed the issue last week.

Under current rules, the cost of treating private patients in public hospitals is claimed back from insurance companies after the consultant involved signs off on the relevant files.