Ninety-seven women who attended the Midlands General Hospital in Portlaoise with breast-cancer fears are to be recalled for a review over concerns about their clinical notes.
An Oireachtas health committee was told today that 568 clinical notes at the hospital are being investigated by Dr Ann O'Doherty as part of her inquiry into misdiagnoses at the hospital.
John O'Brien, HSE National Hospitals' Office director, told the committee that to date 294 patients have been identified as requiring no follow-up but that 97 women are being recalled next week.
Dr O'Doherty reviewed all breast diagnostic services at the Portlaoise hospital including mammography and ultrasounds between November 2003 and August 2007.
Concurrently, a review of the clinical notes for patients who had breast ultrasound during the period August 2005 to August 2007 is being done. According to Mr O'Brien, "ultrasounds were included for absolute completeness to ensure all facets of care were examined".
A HSE statement today said that patients requiring a follow-up will be contacted over the coming days.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said that women can have the "utmost confidence" in the clinical review of the 3,037 mammograms being carried out by Dr O'Doherty and her two colleagues.
She insisted Dr O'Doherty was the "most qualified" and "most eminent" breast radiologist in the country. Dr O'Doherty report is expected to be available early next month.
Earlier this week it emerged that Dr O'Doherty was on the panel that interviewed a radiologist who has been put on administrative leave following the errors in the diagnosis of breast cancer cases.
Fine Gael said yesterday it believed there was a potential "conflict of interest," but the HSE insisted no such conflict existed and that Dr O'Doherty was well qualified to carry out the review.
HSE Chief Executive Prof Brendan Drumm also told the Oireachtas committee today that the planned eight specialist cancer centres will reduce the likelihood of error and improve survival rates in the future.
"The fact is that quality cannot be maintained where there are low activity levels. We therefore are failing the public if we insist on maintaining facilities that do not provide the best possible outcomes," Prof Drumm said.
The Government's new cancer programme plans to establish eight centres of excellence in each of the four HSE areas by the end of 2009.
