The Health Service Executive (HSE) confirmed today that it commissioned an outside expert to review the radiology department at the Louth Meath Hospital Group in 2006.
The joint department of radiology provides services at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan and Louth County Hospital in Dundalk.
It emerged late last year that a number of the department’s patients at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Our Lady’s Hospital had their cancer diagnosis delayed due to an abnormality on their chest X-ray not being noted in initial examination by the radiologist.
These patients were subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer by follow-up X-rays and have all died.
In a statement this afternoon, the HSE said it asked Conal Devine, a former director of human resources at the Irish Medical Organisation, to examine arrangements in the Department of Radiology at Louth Meath Hospital Group.
The HSE noted that a number of recommendations were made in the report relating to staffing levels, consultant involvement in management, other governance Issues, information and communication technology support, communications, service developments, and safety, health and welfare.
The HSE statement said the hospital group has worked with the staff of the radiology department "to progress the recommendations as far as possible". It added that some of Mr Devine's recommendations have fed into the development of hospital services in the North East,
The HSE said the review of X-ray services at these hospitals is ongoing, and that a full report on the review will be provided following its completion.