Surgeons did not stop clinics without notice
1 The orthopaedic surgeons based in Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway, did not stop clinics without notice last January.
When we were informed more that two years ago that a new unit was to be commissioned at Mayo General we informed the hospital that our elective clinics would cease at that time.
When we were told earlier this year that the new service was to commence in July we stopped seeing new elective patients, but have continued to hold our clinics each month to deal with the needs of our existing patients.
Incidentally, we still see a significant number of patients from Mayo at our elective clinics in Galway.
2 It is incorrect to state that children with hip pathology or congenital foot deformity have no access to treatment or have to seek private care.
All children with such problems have been traditionally referred by letter to a visiting orthopaedic surgeon.
Children who require surgical treatment are generally sent to my service as I have a designated interest in paediatric surgery. There has been no change to our paediatric referral policy and the same rights of paediatric referral were extended to Mr Bennett on commencement of his elective clinics.
3 The article states that four orthopaedic surgeons attended at Mayo General when, in fact, until very recently five surgeons attended there and one had a specific role in attending to the longest waiting patients at the hospital.
It is also incorrect to state that only 150 patients were seen at our clinics, as our statistics show that almost 1,900 new and review patients were assessed in Mayo in 2003.
Bill Curtin M Ch FRCSI (orth),
Orthopaedic Surgeon,
Merlin Park Regional Hospital,
Galway.
