Tanaiste Reacts To Discontent Over Health System

Harney Pledges To Test Doctors And Hospitals

Health Minister Mary Harney has pledged to weed out medics who are a danger to the public and strike of incompetent doctors, after a series of scandals involving malpractice by Irish doctors.

Ms Harney also said that unhygienic hospitals would face severe penalties and regular checks will be made to ensure that safe practices are being observed.

The announcement is seen as part of a government plan to reinstill confidence among the public in the health services following a series of scandals which revealed gross incompetence and malpractice among a limited number of medical professionals.

Under the new law, a Medical Practicioners Bill, will see ordinary people sit on a panel that will question rogue doctors about their work.

Doctors across the country will also be regularly tested to prove they are up to date with the latest medical techniques and the results will be made public.

Until now only other health professionals could have an input into whether or not a doctor was competent to practice, leading to allegations that the system was biased and secretive.

The new laws are in large part the result of the scandal surrounding Dr Michael Neary, an obstetracian and gynaecologist working at Our Lay of Lourdes Hospital in the 1990s and early 2000s.

An investigation into his work revelaed that Neary carried out dozens of unnecessary hysterectomies and had been allowed to continue his work despite concerns being raised by colleagues who worked alongside him.

Ms Harney, who earlier this year was criticised for her failure to tackle huge hospital waiting lists, said it was the first time in 30 years that statutory regulation of medical practitioners had been modernised.

"This legislation is a centre piece of health reform," she said.

"The draft legislation is clear that the object of the Medical Council is to protect the public.

"The new legislation increases the level of information available to the public and the need for doctors to ensure that they are aware of the latest medical developments".

John Hillary, President of the Medical Council, said the bill was a major step in the introduction of modern regulation for the profession.

"The draft contains many improvements on the previous act and will allow for more flexible regulation which will support good medial practice and protect the public," he said.

However, Patient Focus, a group which represents some of the women who had their wombs removed unnecessarily by Dr Neary, said the act did not go nearly far enough.

"We welcome the fact that the state is now taking its duty to the public, because quite honestly you would have thought before that they took their duty to doctors more seriously," said spokeswoman Sheila O'Connor.

She said that the public would be concerned that the Health Committee, which has the power to remove a doctor from work, is still made up of medical practitioners.

She also criticised the new laws for giving doctors the choice for their hearings to be heard in private, something she claims will take away transparency from the proceedings.