Three orthodontic consultants who gave evidence to an Oireachtas inquiry last year have alleged that they have been victimised since then by the Department of Health and Children and the health boards.
The allegation has been made in a letter to Cork South Central TD, Mr Batt O'Keeffe (Fianna Fáil), the chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children.
Dr Triona McNamara, a consultant orthodontist with the Eastern Health Board, a Southern Health Board colleague, Dr Ian O'Dowling, and Mayo's principal dental surgeon Dr Antonia Hewson, attended hearings held by the Oireachtas committee into the state of orthodontic services in January 2002. They expressed strong criticisms of changes made in 1999 by the Department of Health and Children.
The changes had meant waiting lists were once more increasing, they claimed, and children who would previously have qualified for treatment were now being denied services.
"The disintegration and collapse of the fine orthodontic service we had has been very difficult to witness," Dr Hewson told the Oireachtas committee at the time.
In her letter of June 18th last to Mr O'Keeffe, Dr McNamara said they had received a warning a day after they made their submissions to the committee.
"We were informed, through a consultant colleague, that because of our submissions we would be 'subjected to extra scrutiny and checked-up on'.
"He had received this information from a Department of Health official and he personally felt intimidated by the threat. Exactly as he forewarned, we were victimised," she wrote.
Dr O'Dowling was "questioned by his manager about his hours of work" for the first time in his 11- year career with the Southern Health Board, she alleged.
"He was also questioned about his work in Tralee; what time he finished in Tralee. It was planned at one point that his manager would accompany him to clinics in Tralee to check his work practices there.
"This is an individual who has delivered treatment to thousands of children in the SHB over the past decade and saved the country, on average, over €8 million annually," she told Mr O'Keeffe.
Dr McNamara said Dr Hewson was questioned about whether she had claimed expenses for turning up at the Oireachtas committee.
"She was questioned on whether or not she had made the submission in a personal capacity, even though she had made this clear in her opening statement to the Oireachtas and had also sent a copy of her submission, in advance, to her chief executive officer.
"She was also, one year after her submission, questioned on the point made in her submission," said Dr McNamara, who said Dr Hewson has "as a lone clinician" supplied emergency dental services to Co Mayo all year round.
Dr Hewson and Dr McNamara attended a meeting of the Oireachtas on May 29th, 2003, to hear the Department of Health and Children make its submission on orthodontic care.
"On Dr Hewson's return to the west, she was advised that a complaint had been made against her for being there. She was questioned about whether or not she had taken an annual leave day to attend the Oireachtas," Dr McNamara wrote.
"Clinicians who have a track record of delivering successful quality services and who remain committed to trying to undo the damage done to orthodontics by the Department of Health officials and Minister Martin since 1999, should not be victimised for bringing their concerns for patients to the Oireachtas," she went on.
Mr O'Keeffe earlier this month circulated copies of Dr McNamara's letter to the Department of Health and Children and the relevant health boards for their comments.
When contacted by The Irish Times, the Oireachtas committee chairman said: "All of these matters are subject to investigation. A response has been sought from the relevant health boards and from the Minister. We await their response."
