Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

It is becoming increasingly difficult for the public to understand why, despite so many external reviews of clinical services in north-east hospitals, so many problems continue to occur. External independent reviews have been conducted in the past few years on services in Cavan, Monaghan and Navan, and on maternity and midwife services in Drogheda and Cavan. All of these reports have been critical of clinicians and of lay management. They have highlighted deficits in staffing levels and in management oversights.

Now we hear of another external independent review of radiology services conducted at a time when it seemed there were significant problems with staffing levels in the radiology units in Drogheda, Dundalk and Navan hospitals. I raised the serious concern outlined in 2001 by a consultant radiologist in the region about the dependence of the hospitals on locum consultants and the intolerable work pressure on the permanent staff. Is it true that a shortage of consultants led to concerns about the ability of all three hospitals to provide a full range of radiology services? Is it true that the significant work pressures, and the resultant work practices, contributed to a climate where the work of a locum consultant was not monitored or audited within the Louth-Meath radiology department? What confidence can this House and the public have in the ability of the HSE to provide safe acute hospital services in the north east?

This review took place. It was initiated in early March 2006. It was commissioned by the HSE by an outside consultant. The problem is that, just after that review commenced, there was a consultant radiologist who took up to 6,000 X-rays of 4,500 persons, many of whom must have had two or more X-rays. As a result of mis-diagnosis, at least six persons died subsequently of lung cancer. These incidents occurred over two years ago and some people, even today, do not know what the full outcome of their radiology was after this review took place. Everybody knew about this, but nothing happened.

The key point relates to the recommendations in this report which were issued in December 2006. To date, some of these recommendations have been implemented, some are currently being worked on, while others have not been progressed for a number of reasons, including the financial and recruitment implications. However, the facts are that people have died prematurely because of errors that were made.

I want to know what this review found out. What was it saying? What were the recommendations? I put it to the Minister that inadequate action was taken. Subsequent to this review we had the appalling vista of 6,000 X-rays being revisited and upwards of 150 persons at least have been called back for a review of their X-rays, some of them two years after they were taken.

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