20 June 2008

Precautionary review underway at Daisy Hill Hospital

The Southern Trust has announced that it is conducting a precautionary review of patients who were treated by a health care professional temporarily employed in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at Daisy Hill Hospital earlier this year.

The Health Care Professional is no longer employed by the Trust.

The Trust’s Medical Director, Dr Patrick Loughran explains; “The decision to carry out this precautionary review follows concerns about aspects of the Health Care Professional’s work. The process will be conducted by Professor William Thompson, former Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen’s University, Belfast.

“A review of notes of just over 300 patients who were seen by the individual between January and May is currently underway. This comprehensive exercise is being conducted as a matter of urgency and is expected to take two weeks to complete.

“We will then be in a position to provide further information to patients. We are writing to all patients whose notes are being examined as part of the review and once the review is complete we will write to all the women again to advise them of the outcome. It would therefore be inappropriate to make any further comment until then."

Dr Loughran concluded: “The Trust would like to apologise for any distress or anxiety this exercise may cause but I would stress that this is a precautionary measure in order to rule out any uncertainty.”

A free telephone information line has been established for patients who may have questions in relation to the review. Lines are open between 9.00am - 9.00pm Monday to Sunday. Telephone 0800 1114 021. Patients can also contact the hospital directly on (028) 3083 5162.