Consultants’ activity figures not audited

Written by Lloyd Mudiwa Monday, 25 January 2010 15:32

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The results in a recent HSE report showing that approximately three-in-10 consultants working in public hospitals are treating more private patients than permitted under their new contract were not audited, it has emerged.

The IHCA has dismissed the figures in the report as "meaningless", claiming that as the HSE has closed between 800 and 900 public beds, it has reduced the throughput of public patients in hospitals.

The HSE has confirmed it is currently conducting a hospital-by-hospital audit of the public/private patient ratio under the Consultant Contract 2008 for the period under consideration.

The results of clinic activity (adjusted for casemix) for the April 2009 to June 2009 period, published recently by the HSE, show that in St John’s Hospital in Limerick, not a single consultant complied with the ratio restriction when treating inpatients, although 20 per cent were 10 per cent within achieving compliance.

There was, however, compliance by 60 per cent of the consultants when treating daycase patients, which rose to 80 per cent when those 10 per cent within achieving compliance were included.

Only six hospitals; Bantry, Roscommon County, Tallaght, Naas General, St Michael’s, and Loughlinstown, achieved full compliance for both inpatient and daycase patients, according to the unaudited figures.

The HSE was yet to receive data on clinical activity from four hospitals; Mercy University in Cork, Midlands Regional in Tullamore, and Connolly and the Rotunda, both in Dublin.

• Meanwhile, the locum pathologist at the centre of the breast cancer misdiagnosis scandal in Barringtons Hospital, Limerick, in 2007 was found guilty of professional misconduct at a Medical Council Fitness to Practice (FTP) hearing last week.

The FTP Committee recommended that Dr Antoine Geagea be censured for falling short of quality standards, and that a number of conditions be attached in order for him to continue to be on the Medical Register.
The Committee’s recommendation will now be placed before the Medical Council for a final decision.

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