Minister For Health Announces Redress Scheme For Patients Of Dr. Michael Neary

The Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney T.D., announced details of a Redress Scheme for former patients of Dr. Michael Neary, former consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda last week.

Announcing details of the Redress Scheme, the Minister said "It has been a long and difficult road for many former patients of Dr. Neary. I hope that today's recognition of the injustice done will help them in coming to terms with what they have endured. I want to take this opportunity to apologise again to these women and their families for what happened at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.

"This appalling episode underlines the importance of modernising the regulation of medical practices. The new Medical Practitioners Bill will consign the archaic systems which have prevailed in Irish medicine to the past."

The Redress Scheme will apply to former patients of Dr. Neary who underwent an unnecessary obstetric hysterectomy at Out Lady of Lourdes Hospital during the period 1974 to 1998. The scheme also covers women who underwent unnecessary bilateral oophorectomys (removal of both ovaries or single remaining ovary).

An estimated 172 former patients of Dr. Neary fall within the scope of the scheme, 122 of whom underwent an obstetric hysterectomy and 50 who underwent a bilateral oophorectomy.

The scheme will operate on a points system with women of young age and low parity (fewer children) receiving the highest points and commensurately higher awards. The level of award will range from €60,000 to €260,000 in the cases of obstetric hysterectomy and €80,000 to €340,000 in the cases of bilateral oophorectomy.

The maximum cost of the scheme has been estimated at just over €45 million, with the cost to be offset by agreed contributions from insurers of €7.70 million. The contributing insurers are Allianz, Irish Public Bodies and the Medical Protection Society.