The Irish Nurses' Organisation has welcomed the findings of the official report into bullying claims at Galway Hospice and Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe.
It also said it hopes the hospice will be able to resume a consultant-led service, and that the investigation into the recent bullying complaint lodged by 22 of the nursing staff will be carried out without delay by the Health Service Executive (Western) Area.
The report by Dr Sean Conroy, the executive's assistant chief officer, upheld the allegations by three complainants dating back to 2002 and 2003, and ruled that the Galway Hospice clinical director and palliative care consultant, Dr Dympna Waldron, "misconducted herself in relation to her appointment, contrary to her terms of contract".
Dr Conroy said in the report, which was presented to all parties last Friday, that he will hear submissions from Dr Waldron and her representatives before determining what disciplinary action to take in the context and framework of options open under the consultant's common contract.
The INO has confirmed that all parties were asked to sign a confidentiality clause before receiving the report, but the union refused, as did legal representatives for the third complainant.
The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association, which represents Dr Waldron, said she will make no comment on the report, which is with her solicitors.
The HSE report was commissioned after three separate claims of bullying were forwarded to the former Western Health Board by former chief executive Mary Derrig, and two nursing staff, Ann Gardiner, clinical nurse specialist at Portiuncula, and Nicola Purcell, clinical nurse manager at Galway Hospice.
Ms Derrig claimed that Dr Waldron bullied her, her health was affected and she was forced to take sick leave in December 2002. She subsequently resigned. She claimed that Dr Waldron "undermined her authority, demeaned her in front of others, set her impossible tasks, excluded and isolated her, verbally abused her and intimidated her". Similar claims were made by Ms Gardiner and Ms Purcell.
Dr Conroy expressed concern about a 10-month delay in Dr Waldron's initial response. He said "some" of the 16 character witnesses interviewed on Dr Waldron's behalf by him were patients and family members of patients.
The hospice currently has four patients, but no palliative care consultant cover. The GP team providing medical care is being led by one of two doctors with a special interest in palliative care, who had been employed to work with the hospice's homecare team.