Minister for Health Mary Harney renewed her recent apology when she revealed that two more women given the all-clear had been diagnosed with cancer at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise.
She said that 3,037 mammograms had been reviewed at the hospital, and, in all, nine women had been diagnosed with cancer, all of whom were now receiving treatment or counselling.
"I reiterate my apology of some weeks ago to the women concerned for the delay in diagnosing their cancers. We are trying to minimise the possibility of this happening again."
Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly said it had been suggested in the newspapers "that six women were still waiting for a diagnosis and treatment, which would be totally unacceptable".
The Minister confirmed to Dr Reilly that Dr Ann O'Doherty, the doctor carrying out the current review of the mammograms, was one of the doctors on the interview board that appointed the radiologist currently on administrative leave. Dr Reilly insisted that this created a conflict of interest.
Ms Harney said she understood Dr O'Doherty was a member of the interview panel. "It was a public appointments service interview process."
Dr Reilly pressed the Minister on the action taken to address the concerns raised in a letter she personally received from a consultant in Portlaoise, in 2005, expressing concerns regarding the quality and reliability of services in the radiology department in Portlaoise hospital.
Ms Harney said she was satisfied the department acted in a thorough, timely and appropriate manner on foot of the information received. It was entirely without foundation to claim that the letter "lay languishing" in the department.
"On July 5th, 2005, a consultant at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise wrote to me outlining his concerns relating to the breast services at the hospital.
"In accordance with normal practice, the letter was passed to relevant officials in the cancer policy unit for examination. They rightly formed the view that the letter required to be brought to the attention of the HSE and management at the hospital.
"It was duly referred to the HSE national hospitals office for urgent examination and appropriate attention. The department subsequently wrote to the consultant concerned advising him of this and also brought the letter to the attention of the regional director of cancer services in the midland region. I understand he then had discussions on the issue with hospital management and with the consultant concerned.
"There are robust policies and procedures in place in the department, including in the Minister's office, for dealing with letters, e-mails and telephone calls relating to matters of patient safety and quality of care.
"If a senior clinician raises an immediate risk to patient safety with me in any respect, I treat that matter very seriously."
Dr Reilly claimed the Minister was ignoring the issue raised in the letter, namely, that the radiology service was a shambles.
He understood that the letter was passed to the network manager and on to the hospital manager who interviewed the consultant concerned and ascertained that no unnecessary operations had taken place, which was the end of the matter.
Ms Harney said the department received about 6,000 letters, excluding telephone calls, e-mails, representations from parliamentarians and parliamentary questions, in a four-month period. She believed the first time she became aware of the matter was August 29th, when the HSE informed her it had suspended the service in Portlaoise.
