Group welcomes report on Doctor Neary

A group representing women treated by an obstetrician struck off for professional misconduct today welcomed news that a report on his activities is to be passed on to gardaí.

The Irish Medical Council (IMC) will hand over details of its findings on Dr Michael Neary, following claims by more than 60 women that he unnecessarily removed their wombs.

Sheila O’Connor, spokeswoman for Patient Focus, said she believed “absolutely” that the Co Louth medic should be prosecuted.

She said: “We were working on this for about four or five years now. About a year into it it became very clear to us that this was no mere medical negligence situation, that there was a lot more to it, and we have been proved right.”

Ms O’Connor said patients treated by Dr Neary at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda during the 1980s and 1990s had suffered an enormous amount.

“It was more than a hurt, it was a grievous assault in my opinion,” she told RTÉ radio.

She commended the actions of two midwives which sparked an investigation into the obstetrician’s activities.

“Only a very small fraction of this has come out yet,” she said.

“And if it wasn’t for the courage of two very brave women in Drogheda hospital God knows how many women this would have happened to.”

She also called for a public inquiry into the matter.

Dr Neary was struck off the medical register last month after the IMC found him guilty of misconduct in 10 cases.

Since the body does not have the power to refer its report to the Director of Public Prosecutions it has now decided to present it to gardai, blanking out names of patients to guard their anonymity.

It will be made available to officers once High Court proceedings for confirmation of the decision to strike off Dr Neary are complete.

Professor Gerard Bury, president of the IMC, said all material, including sworn evidence in transcript form, would be handed over to gardai.

He said: “The women involved in this tragedy have suffered what I believe is a serious hurt.

“We believe that our only appropriate response as citizens and as responsible citizens is to make the material which we have gleaned available to the gardai.”

He also said he would be meeting Health minister Micheal Martin next week to discuss the case.

Controversy over Dr Neary first emerged in 1998 when two midwives reported concerns about the high number of hysterectomies he was carrying out at Our Lady of Lourdes.

Recently he lost an appeal against a High Court award of €270,000 damages order for negligence against him to Alison Gough, from Ardee, Co Louth.

Ms Gough’s womb was removed by Dr Neary after the birth of her son. About sixty other cases against him are pending.