Mary Henry (Independent)

If an employee of the executive is a member of the medical profession and is not in a position to disclose confidential information if it is to the benefit of patient care he or she is in a very serious position regarding medical ethics. I am pleased that Senator Feeney, who is a distinguished former member of the Medical Council, is present. The Minister of State will recall that the clinical autonomy of consultants is recognised within the common contract and that the Medical Council's guide to ethical conduct and behaviour in the sixth edition, 2004, recognises in paragraph 4.12 that "Doctors have an obligation to point out deficiencies to the appropriate authorities and should not yield to pressures for cost savings if it means acting against the interests of patients". The guide also states in paragraph 1.3 that "Medical care must not be used as a tool of the State, to be granted or withheld or altered in character under political pressure. Doctors require independence from such pressures in order to carry out their duties." Doctors would be duty bound to disclose any deficiencies or problems that existed even if they had come across them in their capacity as employees of the executive. This has been mentioned to me as a very serious problem. I hope that Senator Browne's modest amendment could be accepted.