Health Service apologises to Neary patients

The Health Service Executive tonight issued a personal apology to all the women who suffered distress and pain at the hands of Dr Michael Neary.

Insisting it would do all in its power to ensure more women did not undergo unnecessary hysterectomies, the HSE said steps had already been taken to improve hospital care.

The HSE said it was committed, along with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, to examining all aspects of the report and to implementing its recommendations.

“The hospital intends to ensure that the events outlined in this report will not recur, by fully implementing any recommendations that are outstanding,” the body said.

The HSE said steps had already been taken to change attitudes to care at Lourdes Hospital by adopting a culture of safety and quality, where error is minimised and when it does occur, lessons are learned and shared.

“This is exactly the culture that is consistently advocated for and being progressed within Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital,” the HSE said.

“The hospital does not work in isolation, and maintains close partnership with the colleges, the Institute of Obstetricians, the Medical Council, patient associations and the public to ensure highest clinical standards are maintained.

“Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital will work to ensure that the events outlined in this report will not recur, by moving to implement any outstanding recommendations.”

The report found former consultant obstetrician Dr Michael Neary performed 129 hysterectomies out of 188 carried out at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda between 1974 and 1998.

No issues were raised until October 1998 when two midwives raised serious concerns about his practices.

The HSE said Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, an acute general teaching hospital, had introduced comprehensive Clinical Governance Arrangements since 1998 in the Obstetric/Gynaecological Department including:

- A weekly/monthly disciplinary clinical governance meeting attended by obstetricians, midwives, obstetric NCHD staff, medical students, midwifery tutors and students.

- A daily team meeting in the delivery suite attended by consultant obstetricians, medical staff and midwifes to review births of the previous 24 hours including adverse incident discussion.

- An Annual Clinical Report is published.

- Periodic visits by the Institutes of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Royal College of Paediatrics in Ireland and the Royal College of Gynaecologists in Ireland.

- Consultant staff regularly attend national and international meetings in order to be updated on best international practice.

- The role of Lead Clinician is now firmly established within the department.

The HSE said management at Lourdes hospital was satisfied the new arrangements would serve as a comprehensive basis for the ongoing evaluation of obstetric and gynaecological care.

Since 1998 the delivery rate at Lourdes hospital has doubled and the perinatal mortality and neonatal mortality rates compare favourably with national and international norms, the HSE said.