Insurance row - Harney talks with British body vital

HOPES are growing of a breakthrough in the long festering row between the Government and the British Medical Union over insurance cover for hospital consultants.

Essentially, the dispute is between the Department of Health and the British-based MDU over who should cover consultants for impending compensation claims involving incidents of malpractice in the past.

The compromise decision to allow a surgeon to pick his legal team from a panel drawn up by the department is a move in the right direction.