Group says medics should consider fitness to practise

Victims' reaction:Victims of Dr Michael Neary have said the three obstetricians who exonerated him should consider whether they are fit to continue teaching medical students.

Patient Focus, which represents the women who had their wombs removed by Dr Neary, said it was up to the Medical Council to decide whether the three men should continue in medical practice.

However, the evidence presented in the full transcripts published yesterday was "extremely serious" for their reputations as medical lecturers, the organisation said.

Dr John Murphy is president of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland; Prof Walter Prendiville is professor of obstetrics at the RCSI; and Dr Bernard Stuart is a special lecturer at UCD.

Patient Focus co-ordinator Sheila O'Connor said: "We think it has implications for the Royal College of Surgeons and for the universities where these men teach. We think questions arise as to their ability to continue. If I was running those colleges, I would be considering their reputations.

"It would be difficult for these men to stand up in front of students and talk about patient care or safety. I'm not sure they can be taken seriously anymore."

Ms O'Connor said Prof Prendiville and Dr Stuart should now apologise to the victims of Dr Neary in a similar manner to Dr Murphy. According to the transcripts of the Fitness to Practice Committee, he expressed his regret to the members of Patient Focus.

Dr Murphy said he would not have exonerated Dr Neary had he known then what he knows now about his behaviour.

However, Eoin McCullough SC, representing the registrar of the Medical Council, told the council's hearing that Prof Prendiville and Dr Stuart "were more inclined to stand over the report that they had produced".