The Health Service Executive (HSE) said last night that it first knew several weeks ago that there were doubts about the results of ultrasound scans carried out on some patients with suspected breast cancer at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise. Martin Wallreports
A spokeswoman said the HSE did not inform the women concerned at the time as it first wanted to make arrangements for surgical reviews and possibly other radiological services to be provided.
The indication that at least 97 women are to be recalled over the next week for review was revealed by the director of the National Hospital Office, John O'Brien, at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children yesterday.
Mr O'Brien said the HSE had announced in August that it was conducting a review of all breast diagnostic services, including mammography and ultrasounds, carried out in Portlaoise between November 2003 and August 20th, 2007.
The mammography report was almost finished but the review of ultrasound scans was still continuing. The cases of 568 patients who had undergone ultrasound scans, he added, were reviewed based on protocols advised by Dr Ann O'Doherty, the breast radiology expert who is heading up the mammography review.
The HSE said the 568 women at the centre of the ultrasound review were different from those involved in the mammography reassessment. It is understood that the women who had received ultrasound tests were generally younger.
Mr O'Brien said 391 reviews had been completed and that of these, 97 cases had been identified as requiring a surgical review. These women were informed by telephone yesterday.
The details of the ultrasound review were set out by Mr O'Brien in the course of an answer at the committee hearing to Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly. The findings were not mentioned in a lengthy opening statement provided by Minister for Health Mary Harney and HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm.
A HSE spokeswoman said last night that before informing the women, it wanted to put in place a special clinic for those concerned which would have all the necessary follow-up available.
She said it would have been "wholly inappropriate" to tell the women directly until after these surgical review and follow-up arrangements had been finalised.
Dr Reilly said the HSE had three months to inform women of the need for a surgical review but failed to do so. "Worse than that, the women who are now becoming aware of this awful news had to hear it through the media after the health committee meeting this morning. This represents a truly shocking dereliction of duty of care."
Labour Party health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan said the Minister had "to take direct political responsibility for one of the most alarming failures in our health policy in recent times and cannot simply be allowed to pass the blame to the HSE".
Georgina O'Halloran adds:
People in the midlands have reacted with shock to the news that 97 women are to be recalled.
Kay Browne, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, whose mother, Joan Kennedy (78), Dunkerrin, Co Offaly, underwent a mastectomy two weeks ago after having been given the all-clear at the Portlaoise hospital in April, said she was appalled and no longer had any faith in the health system.
"My mother has never received an apology from anyone or counselling," Ms Browne said. "It's opened an awful lot of questions."
Cllr Mary Sweeney (FG) said yesterday's news had made it difficult for people in the region to remain positive about the health service.
Laois county councillor Catherine Fitzgerald (FF) said she was angry at the way the situation had been handled.