Board to answer concerns over hospital

Officials from North-Eastern Health Board and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, are to make a surprise appearance later this week before an Oireachtas committee to respond to concerns about the hospital's obstetric care.

Earlier this month, the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children met in private to hear Patient Focus, a group which alleges too many hysterectomies were carried out at the hospital during the 1990s.

A long-running investigation by the Medical Council's Fitness to Practise Committee into one of the hospital's consultants, Dr Michael Neary, is still ongoing. It is understood it could be another year before the committee issues any findings. An invitation to the health board and the hospital was issued by the chairman of the Oireachtas committee, Cork South Central TD Mr Batt O'Keeffe, in the wake of the Patient Focus submission.

However, the decision by the NEHB and the hospital to appear on Thursday, albeit in private, has taken politicians by surprise

Last night, however, the North-Eastern Health Board refused even to confirm its attendance. "We are neither confirming nor denying," a spokesperson said.

In April 1999, the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists found that the clinical practice followed in 46 per cent of Caesarean hysterectomies carried out at the hospital was "unacceptable".

In its submission on May 10th, Patient Focus said: "The women and their families need to know the full truth. For this to happen and for trust to be repaired in some way, it is essential that the hospital be subjected to a public and independent inquiry as a matter of urgency."

Though legal action by 50 women is pending against the health board and hospital, Patient Focus argued that a tribunal to determine compensation was necessary.