Operational review: The Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney has told the Medical Council that the Government is considering the establishment of a new inspectorate of hospitals.
The president of the Medical Council Dr John Hillery said last night that the Tánaiste told a delegation yesterday that the Government was examining how such a body would work.
The Medical Council believes that the establishment of an inspectorate, which would review the operation of hospitals, would go hand in glove with new competence assurance requirements for doctors.
Dr Hillery told The Irish Times last night he believed that there would also be a need for discussion on new competence assurance mechanisms for other, non- medical staff , staff in hospitals.
The Medical Council met the Ms Harney to discuss its proposals for competence assurance to be included in the new Medical Practitioners Bill which is expected to go before the Oireachtas in the autumn.
The competent assurance provisions have attracted increased public attention in recent days in the wake of the report of the inquiry into the practices at the obstetric unit at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where the obstetrician Dr Michael Neary worked.
The official report, drawn up by Judge Maureen Harding Clark indicated that competence assurance requirements for other, non-medical, hospital staff should be considered.
Ms Harney told the Dáil the Government would place the competence assurance requirements for doctors on a statutory footing as part of the new legislation.
Dr Hillery said last night that officials of the Medical Council and the Department of Health would meet again in the weeks ahead to discuss the specifics of how this scheme would work.
The Medical Council has proposed all doctors would have to be on the specialist register as a requirement of remaining in independent practice in future.
Doctors would also have to undergo a peer review of their practice and an assessment of their skills on a regular basis as a condition of remaining on the specialist register. The Medical Council has suggested that such a review of practice should take place every five years.
In an address on Sunday Dr Hillery also called for reforms in the way doctors from outside the EU are treated in Irish hospitals.
He suggested that the "tenuous positions" of these non EU doctors in Irish hospitals had been a contributory factor in the lack of questions raised by some of those who had worked in the obstetrics unit in Drogheda about Dr Neary's practice. Dr Hillery pointed out that the official report had maintained that such non EU doctors needed a reference from their consultant to continue in training here.
Ms Harney told the Medical Council delegation yesterday that she would be bringing heads of the new Medical Practitioner's legislation to cabinet before Easter. In June 2004, the Cabinet approved previous heads of legislation in this area drawn up by the former Minister Michéal Martin. However, this will be significantly updated in the new Bill.
The Tánaiste has previously indicated that in future there could be a majority of lay, non-medical persons, on the Medical Council.
