Doctors’ ‘death rate’ table to be released

A consultant league table showing which doctors have the highest patient death rates could be set up as early as next year.

A Department of Health spokesperson has confirmed plans are in place to collate and publish the reports “in 2014”.

During a recent visit to the MacGill Summer School, Health Minister James Reilly announced plans to include the information alongside morbidity and waiting list lengths for individual consultants.

Responding to a query by trade newspaper Irish Medical News, a department spokesperson said: “It is hoped that reports will be published in 2014, the HSE will be responsible for publishing them.”

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association has claimed revealing the details will not give a genuine impression of patient procedure outcomes as it will focus on the doctor instead of the team of clinicians involved.

“The minister’s plan to publish morbidity and mortality rates for individual consultants will not in its proposed form help patients to make informed decisions,” warned IHCA assistant secretary general Donal Duffy.

“Healthcare is increasingly delivered by multi-disciplinary teams, often across different hospital sites within networks.

“To link morbidity and mortality to one particular factor or individual involved in a patients’s care may not be the most appropriate way to reassure patients of the safety of their hospital or hospital group.”

Doctors have been quick to block attempts to introduce a de facto consultant league table in the past.